Northern Ireland

Record numbers of nurses working but warning that 'pressures' could lead to staff quitting

More than 26,000 nurses are on the professional register in Northern Ireland but there are concerns about staff quitting
More than 26,000 nurses are on the professional register in Northern Ireland but there are concerns about staff quitting More than 26,000 nurses are on the professional register in Northern Ireland but there are concerns about staff quitting

A RECORD high number of nurses are working but the regulator has warned that frontline pressures and "negative workplace culture" have led to staff quitting.

Figures released by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) show that a total of 26,151 people are on its register in Northern Ireland compared with 23,888 four years ago.

The increased - but slowing - growth is replicated across England, Scotland and Wales amid concerns about the long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the profession.

During the second surge last winter, The Irish News reported on the departure of 15 ICU nurses from the Belfast trust while there are currently 3,000 unfilled nursing posts across the north.

Anger at "unsafe" staffing levels and pay also led to unprecedented strike action by thousands of Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members early last year.

The new UK-wide regulator figures reveal that 15,000 more nurses, midwives and nursing associates are registered compared to March 2020. Overall, there are a total of 732,000 registered staff.

A breakdown in the NMC annual report shows that 1,039 people joined the permanent register in Northern Ireland - a 10.8 per cent increase on the previous year.

However for the first time since 2016/17, an increase in the number of people leaving in the north was also recorded with 716 departing.

Children's nurses account for the biggest proportional rise (3.5 per cent) while there was a slight rise in those specialising in mental health.

The report showed that 92 per cent of the nursing workforce in the north are women, while the combined number of people aged 56 and over - who are heading for retirement - increased by 6.2 percent.

Meanwhile, an NMC poll of 5,639 nurses who left the register between July 2019 and June 2020 found that retirement was the most common reason for leaving, but more than a fifth said they left the workforce due to "too much pressure", which led to stress and poor mental health, and 18 per cent cited workplace culture issues.

The authors cautioned: "Many people also told us that too much pressure and negative workplace culture were factors.

"These issues existed before the pandemic, and may well outlast it, further disrupting an already fatigued nursing and midwifery workforce. If not addressed, this could have a significant impact on the number of people we report leaving our register over the next year and beyond."

RCN chief Pat Cullen said the report confirmed "trouble on the horizon" for patients.

"The register is growing nowhere near enough to meet patient demand. The situation will get worse when one fifth of the register retires in the next few years," she said.

"This doesn't include those nursing staff planning to leave due to high stress, poor pay and benefits and a negative workplace culture. This is clearly a major risk for the quality and safety of patient care, which is only set to increase in demand."