SP3.2 Where are all the nurses in the UK?
Meghna Bhatnagar, Raghvinder Pal Singh Gambhir- Surgery
Abstract
Aim
There is a worldwide shortage of nurses and midwifes according to World Health Organisation (WHO). Aim of the present study was to analyse the nursing crisis in the UK.
Methods
Google search was done for the number of nurses registered with Nursing medical council UK. NHS England and NMC reports on workforce were accessed and analysed.
Results
WHO recommends a minimum nurse to population of ratio of 3: 1000. Among the OECD countries, UK has 8.2 nurses per 1000 compared to 18/1000 in Switzerland and 1.1/1000 in south Africa. NMC has 771500 registered nurses but all are not practising full time. Around 40 % of these have been registered for < 10 and are probably in Band 5 or 6 and still in near full time active direct clinical nursing roles. The remaining 60% who have been on the register for >10 years would probably be doing more managerial roles. That makes it even worse. In addition a large number of registered nurses are in administrative roles in regulatory bodies like GMC. NMC, CQC etc.
In addition what the nurses do with their time also has changed. It is estimated that only <40% of the nursing time is spent in direct clinical care.
Conclusion
If all the registered nurses were available to do Direct clinical care we would be one of the best resourced country among OECD but where are these registered practitioners is the question.