More nurses and midwives are quitting

THE number of nurses and midwives leaving the professions has risen amid a warning more departures could follow without further efforts to tackle the pressures on both occupations brought on by the pandemic.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said the latest data showed that the overall number of people quitting the register has increased for the most recent period for the first time in four years.

The organisation’s mid-year registration data report showed that a total of 13,945 people left between April and September, compared with 11,020 in the same period last year. The last time the total number of leavers was higher for the same six-month period was in 2017, the NMC said.

Data showed that the number of nurses and midwives eligible to practise in the UK, and nursing associates who can practise in England, has risen, with the register growing from 731,918 professionals to 744,929 in the six months to the end of September.

The figures include 11,331 more nurses across the UK.

The NMC said there were 1,156 more nursing associates – who bridge the gap between nurses and health and care assistants in England only – and 594 more midwives.

Andrea Sutcliffe, NMC chief executive and registrar, said health and care services were facing “severe pressures” as winter approaches and that nursing and midwifery professionals “are exhausted from coping with the impact of the pandemic”.

She said: “In these circumstances, I’m glad our latest registration data shows an increase in the numbers of nurses, midwives and nursing associates but we can’t be complacent. In the face of rising needs across the UK there are worrying signs this pace of growth won’t meet demand.”