NHS Nurse Employment Statistics 2024

Nurses are employed throughout the NHS in roles that range from hospital-based care to services delivered in the community. While overall staff numbers have increased, some areas are still experiencing shortages. This article brings together recent nurse employment statistics and offers a snapshot of where things stand in terms of staffing, gaps, and recruitment efforts.

Nursing Workforce Size

• 778,340 nurses are currently on the UK nursing register (NMC, May 2024)
• 634,440 nurses, midwives, and nursing associates on the NMC register in England (2024)
• 423,000 nurses and midwives are employed by NHS England (headcount, mid-2023)
• 67,168 nurses and midwives work in NHS Scotland (WTE, Mar 2024)

The number of registered nurses has reached a new peak. Staffing levels in both England and Scotland continue to climb, helping to ease pressure in key care settings.

Recent Growth Trends

• 3.9% increase in NHS Scotland nurse staffing year-on-year (Mar 2024)
• 51,245 more nurses in NHS England since Sept 2019

NHS Scotland has seen close to 4% growth in its nursing and midwifery staff over the last year when looking at their nurse employment statistics. England has added over 50,000 nurses since 2019, meeting the national recruitment goal set for 2024.

Vacancy Rates

• 42,306 nursing vacancies in NHS England as of Sept 2023 (10.3% vacancy rate)
• 3,382.5 WTE nursing vacancies in NHS Scotland as of Mar 2024 (4.8% vacancy rate)

More nurses are in post, but vacancies remain an issue. In England, more than one in ten nursing roles are unfilled. Scotland has cut its vacancy rate nearly in half over the past year, a sign that recruitment strategies are making a difference.

International Recruitment

• Nearly 50% of new nursing registrations (2022/23) were from outside the UK
• Over 200,000 internationally trained nurses are now on the UK register
• 30% of NHS nurses in England are non-UK nationals

A large number of new nurses now come from outside the UK. These international recruits help to fill essential roles across the NHS. However, reliance on overseas staff also brings challenges, including long-term sustainability and ethical considerations.

Retention and Turnover

• 4,800 to 3,200: drop in nurse leavers in NHS Scotland from 2023 to 2024
• 11.2% of hospital and community staff in England left their roles in the year to June 2023

When looking at retention, Scotland has seen a notable fall in the number of nurses leaving the profession. England is also working to bring down turnover through support and development programmes.

Demographics of the Workforce

• 89% of UK registered nurses are female
• 44 years is the average age of a UK registered nurse

The nursing profession remains predominantly female. The average age of 44 suggests a strong base of experience, but also highlights the need to bring younger people into the workforce.

Looking Ahead

NHS nurse employment statistics suggest that England may require up to 190,000 additional nurses by the mid-2030s. Reaching that number will depend on expanding training routes, supporting staff retention, and ongoing recruitment campaigns.

While workforce numbers are improving, further work is needed to keep up with rising demand. Continued support for workforce planning will help ensure that staffing levels remain stable in the long term.

Sources:

• Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Register Data – May 2024
• NHS Digital – Workforce Statistics
• NHS Scotland Workforce Statistics
• Nuffield Trust – NHS Workforce in Numbers
• House of Commons Library – NHS Workforce in England
• The Guardian – NHS reliance on overseas staff