13.11.12
RCN warns of ‘perfect storm’ of growing demand and fewer nurses
The RCN is warning that the NHS in England is “sleepwalking into a crisis” that is putting 61,000 posts at risk.
In its Frontline First November update, the Royal College of Nursing says: “Previously, the total number of NHS posts in England we had identified as being at risk stood at 55,366 posts. This number has now climbed to 61,276, a leap of 6,000 from just six months ago.”
It says that the Health & Social Care Information Centre’s figures show that the total NHS workforce has declined by 20,790 FTE (full time equivalent) staff since May 2010 – but this headline reduction masks huge disparities in the types of jobs that have been disappearing.
Administrative staff, managers and medical support staff have seen the biggest drop, but numbers of qualified nurses, midwives and health visitors have also gone down.
There are more qualified scientific, therapeutic & technical staff however, and far more doctors.
It says: “If the Government continues on its current path it will find itself stranded in a perfect storm of an ageing population with increasing healthcare demands, but without the adequate nursing workforce to deal with it.
“The RCN believe that we have a real opportunity with the formation of Health Education England to take a long-term approach to workforce planning and secure the future supply of nursing staff.”
RCN chief executive and general secretary Dr Peter Carter said: “For the past two and a half years, the Government’s consistent rhetoric has been that frontline posts and services are being protected. Sadly, that is simply not the case.
“Nursing is not being protected in the same way as some other clinical professions, with posts and training places often cut for purely financial reasons.”
Tell us what you think – have your say below or email [email protected]