2,750 nurses quit in the past year from stress of pandemic

SCOTLAND has lost 2,750 registered nurses in the past year, with many quitting the profession blaming Covid pressures.

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) figures reveal that while the total number of registered professionals has grown, the number leaving has also risen – with a third of them blaming the pandemic.

Nursing leaders last night hit out at the revelation and demanded urgent action. NHS nursing shortages are already at a record high.

The NMC figures reflect the number of nurses and midwives living in Scotland who are registered to practise, although they are not all working.

Overall, the number in 2021-22 grew to 71,802 – an increase of 1,013 compared to last year. But the number leaving the regis

‘Impacting on patient care’

ter was 2,750 – up 385 on the year before.

Scotland has seen the lowest increase in nursing numbers of the four UK nations at only 1.4 per cent compared to 2.6 per cent in England, 2.7 per cent in Northern Ireland and 2.2 per cent in Wales.

Thirty-five per cent of leavers in Scotland said the pandemic influenced their decision.

Colin Poolman, director of the Royal College of Nursing Scotland, said: ‘Staff shortages have been impacting on patient care and the wellbeing of nurses and nursing support workers, long before the pandemic.’

Matthew McClelland, NMC executive director of strategy and insight, said: ‘Our data paints a generally positive picture of the nursing and midwifery register in Scotland. We’ve seen an increase in the number of registered professionals, and a welcome rise in people joining the register for the first time.’

‘We also need to pay attention to the rise in the number of people leaving the register in Scotland, which has increased compared to last year.’