Safety fears as number of nurses falls

THE NHS has lost more than 1,000 nurses in the past year – prompting concern that patients are being put at risk.

This is the first time nursing numbers have fallen since the 2013 report into the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal ordered NHS trusts to publish staffing figures.

The King’s Fund think-tank, which compiled the figures, blamed the drop on a sudden shortfall in nurses from the EU.

Many nurses are failing to pass tough language tests introduced in January last year and others are not bothering to apply. EU nurses are also put off by the uncertainty over Brexit, despite repeated assurances.

But experts say the problem is caused by years of poor government planning that failed to train enough nurses. Unions are worried that applicants have been put off by the axing of £6,000 bursaries for student nurses in 2015.

This has led to hospitals relying on nurses from EU countries with far lower salaries.

The King’s Fund said figures from NHS Digital showed there were 282,603 full-time equivalent nurses and health visitors in June, down from 283,674 the previous year.

Janet Davies, of the Royal College of Nursing, said: ‘A lethal cocktail of extreme pressure inside the NHS, a collapse in European nurses and falling pay levels left the profession demoralised and people heading for the door.’ The Department of Health said that the analysis referred to overall numbers of nurses and health visitors, while the number of nurses on wards had increased.