The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has commented on statistics from the NHS Information Centre’s Annual Workforce Census for England showing a 1.9% yearly increase in the number of qualified nurses in the NHS.
Janet Davies, executive director of Nursing and Service Delivery at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said: “The RCN is calling for safer staffing levels as part of its manifesto as we know that there is a link between the numbers of staff and patient safety. We therefore welcome the fact that there has been a rise in the number of qualified nurses working in the NHS. “While we welcome the increase in community nurses we are concerned that those working in community and practice nursing workforce tend to be older, with many nurses set to retire over the next decade. Demographic changes and increasing numbers of people living with long-term conditions mean that policy ambitions to deliver more care in the community will become increasingly relevant. Continuing to invest in the community nurse workforce will play a central role in achieving these ambitions. “Over the coming years it is vital that we maintain a long-term view on the NHS workforce, focus on recruiting and retaining skilled staff, and avoid slash and burn approaches which would adversely affect patient care.”
