NHS launches recruitment drive for nurses amid record staff vacancies
The NHS has launched its annual nationwide drive to recruit more nurses, with tens of thousands of vacancies across England.
England’s Chief Nurse has called on anyone looking for a lifechanging career to consider becoming a nurse, as new figures show that more than six in 10 people are considering a career change over the next year.
Nursing degrees offer strong employment prospects in every part of the country, with 94 per cent of graduates finding jobs within six months and more than 46,828 nursing, midwifery, and health visiting vacancies in the NHS in England alone.
The ‘We are the NHS’ campaign will shine a light on the wealth of NHS nursing roles available, featuring real life patients sharing their stories of how nurses from across the health service helped them on their journey to recovery.
New campaign adverts will run across on demand services, radio, social media and in cinemas, with two films featuring the powerful stories of patients during their time in hospital and recovery aided by NHS nurses.
The renewed drive comes as a new survey reveals eight in 10 people say nurses have made a positive impact in their life.
Nursing in the NHS offers a huge and diverse range of different roles and responsibilities, helping people from all walks of life, from learning disabilities and mental health to paediatrics and social care, and working across the community not just hospitals and GP practices, but also patient homes, schools and even prisons.
Alongside increased investment for degrees and placements, NHS recruitment campaigns have prompted a surge in applicants to healthcare degrees in recent years, with more undergraduate nurses than before the pandemic and data showing that nursing applications have increased by more than a quarter, from 40,770 to 52,150, since 2019.
NHS staff are preparing for a challenging winter period with the combined impact of flu, COVID and record vacancies with plans announced last month to boost capacity further across the country.
Ruth May, chief nursing officer for England, said: “Nursing is a life-changing profession where no two days are ever the same, and I would encourage anyone with a passion for making a difference to people’s lives to consider a career as a nurse.
“From life-saving tests and checks and delivering millions of Covid and flu vaccinations, to getting people back on their feet as the NHS cuts 18 month waits and cares for the thousands of seriously ill patients in hospitals and across our communities, nurses play a vital role.
“As we approach the winter months and NHS services gear up to manage higher demand, it’s clear the difference that nurses make to the health service every day, and I urge anyone considering a career where they want to really make a difference to find out more.
“I am so proud to be a nurse in the NHS and so proud of every single colleague who has risen to the challenges facing the health service in recent years to continue to deliver the very best care to patients and their families.
“It truly is one of the most rewarding jobs you can do.
“From mental health to A&E, community and children’s services – there are countless roles, specialisms and opportunities across the nursing profession which all make an invaluable contribution to patients and the NHS and social care every day, so if you are considering beginning a career in nursing, I know we will have the right role waiting for you”.
As part of the campaign, the NHS has launched a questionnaire to raise awareness of the number of different nursing roles available with potential candidates able to take part to find out which nursing role they would be best suited to.
For more information and to find out more about the range of nursing, allied health professionals, and healthcare support worker roles available within the NHS, search We are the NHS.