Number Of Nurses Registered With NMC Reaches Record High

"But the devil is always in the detail – and the details tell a much more complex story about the state of UK nursing."

With the new statistics recently released by The Nursing & Midwifery Council, we take a look at how Brexit has Affected Nursing numbers and why the influx may be short-lived.

Topics covered in this article

Introduction

The Number Of Nurses From Outside The EEA Rises By 15%

But The Number Of Nurses From Inside The EEA Plummets Again

The Vast Majority Of New Nurses Are Adult Nurses

Other Than Retirement, Pressure Is The Biggest Cause Of Nurses Leaving The Register

50% Of Leavers From The EEA Blame Brexit

The 21-40 Age Group Sees The Biggest Rise In Numbers

What's Next For Nursing Numbers?

Introduction

The Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) recently released updated nursing statistics for 2020 – and as always, it made for really interesting reading.

The headline undoubtedly is that the number of Nurses registered in the UK has risen by around 3%, from 698,237 to 716,607.

But the devil is always in the detail – and the details tell a much more complex story about the state of UK nursing.

Here’s a summary of some of the most significant stats:

The Number Of Nurses From Outside The EEA Rises By 15%

The biggest driver behind the increase in the number of registered Nurses was those who joined from outside the EEA.

There are now 84,316 Nurses from outside the EEA, an increase of 11,008 since 2019.

But The Number Of Nurses From Inside The EEA Plummets Again

Meanwhile, the impact of Brexit continues to be felt on the profession.

The number of registered Nurses from the EEA has dropped to 31,385 – a 5% year on year fall.

The Vast Majority Of New Nurses Are Adult Nurses

The number of Adult Nurses increased by more than 12,000, while the other disciplines increased only fractionally.

Meanwhile, the number of Learning Disabilities Nurses has actually fallen slightly.

These stats suggest that recruitment outside of Adult Nursing remains a big challenge.

Other Than Retirement, Pressure Is The Biggest Cause Of Nurses Leaving The Register

26.4% of respondents to the NMC’s survey for leavers said they had quit the profession due to the pressure of the job and the stress it created.

This statistic adds weight to the ongoing argument that Nurses face too much pressure at work, and that their wellbeing must be better supported.

50% Of Leavers From The EEA Blame Brexit

Half of the respondents who left to return to the EEA cited Brexit as the main reason for their departure.

This continues a worrying trend within the NHS.

The 21-40 Age Group Sees The Biggest Rise In Numbers

The number of registered Nurses in the 21-40 age group increased by around 14,000 – easily the biggest increase of any demographic.

What's Next For Nursing Numbers?

It isn’t yet clear how Covid-19 will affect the nursing workforce.

Many retired Nurses have of course temporarily re-joined, and will likely leave again as the pandemic recedes.

But perhaps more significantly, the limits on international travel will have a far bigger impact.

After all, long haul routes will be the last to return to normal – and they connect countries like the Philippines and India which are responsible for a vital proportion of new recruits.

The government may have to stimulate recruitment somehow – and it’s possible that the student bursary could return.