There were 46,828 registered nurse vacancies in the NHS in England between April and June 2022, up from 38,814 over the same period last year, new data has shown.
The news comes as the RCN prepares to open its a ballot on strike action on 15 September. To tackle the workforce crisis, the organisation is campaigning for an NHS pay rise of 5% above inflation but governments have offered far less.
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‘Two weeks before we open our strike ballot, these stark figures reveal what’s happening in England's NHS – record numbers of unfilled nurse jobs and rising fast too. Ten of thousands of experienced nurses left last year at the very moment we cannot afford to lose a single professional, and patients pay a heavy price,’ said RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen.
The ballot closes on 13 October and is being launched in response to this year’s NHS pay award in England and Wales, and the NHS pay offer in Scotland. Nursing staff in Northern Ireland have yet to receive a formal pay offer for 2022/23 due to the absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Executive.
‘Nursing staff are burnt out and simply not valued by their employers and government,’ added Ms Cullen.
‘Ministers choosing to hold their pay well below inflation in a cost of living crisis is making more reconsider their future. Rather than leave a fantastic profession, I’m telling members the time has come to vote for strike action this year – it is the best way to now get politicians to listen and show what we mean when we say 'enough is enough'.’