Posted 10 January 2024 - 13:40
Posted 10 January 2024 - 13:40
News
Nurses among most in-demand group say UK’s job recruiters
Solving staff shortage key to cutting NHS waiting lists, says jobs expert as union insists profession can only attract recruits if they see they will be valued
Solving staff shortage key to cutting NHS waiting lists, says jobs expert as union insists profession can only attract recruits if they see they will be valued
The highest demand for permanent staff in the UK in December was for nurses and other healthcare professionals, a report found.
The annual Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) jobs report looks at vacancies, staff availability, labour demand and pay pressures across work sectors. It surveyed around 400 UK recruitment and employment consultancies, with responses collected in the second half of each month to compare monthly changes. It found employers reported skills shortages in both permanent and temporary nurse staffing.
Improving nurses’ pay and conditions goes hand-in-hand with attracting undergraduates
The RCN said the level of demand showed more needs to be done to boost nursing student numbers and improve pay and working conditions. The number of students accepted on to UK university undergraduate nursing courses in 2023 fell by 10.6%, according to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: ‘The labour choice too many are making is not to enter nursing at all – there are falling numbers of students on nurse courses. People see the profession is not valued and rewarded fairly and are choosing not to join it, with many others quitting early too.
‘In the face of surging demand on health and care services, the nursing shortage makes it hard for the system to cope, and patients pay the price.
‘The government must take responsibility for boosting student numbers with proper support payments and demonstrate the nursing profession is rewarded with fair pay.’
Supply of nurses key factor in NHS waiting lists
REC chief executive Neil Carberry said the figures show the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan needs to deal with the ‘realities’ of the labour market and the importance of supporting NHS performance.
‘Recruiters can see the impact on long NHS waiting lists in the supply of candidates looking for work – addressing this will be a key way to tackle inactivity. But the plan for NHS staffing needs to deal with 21st century labour market realities,’ he said.
‘Medical staff have choices in and power over their careers – working with unions, agencies and other stakeholders on a plan will get the NHS farther than diktat from Whitehall.’
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