Nursing shortfall hits Britain

Nursing shortages throughout Britain are resulting in an acute shortfall in medical beds, while admissions to NHS hospitals continue to rise (see also p 134). London and the south east seem to be particularly hard hit, but areas as far apart as Pontefract and Plymouth are reporting an inability to fill skilled nursing posts.

This week alone the magazine Nursing Times carried 96 pages of classified advertisements for vacant nursing jobs—the largest number in the history of the magazine.

“It's been like this for over a year now, and frankly, it's getting a bit embarrassing. Our editorial is being dwarfed by situations vacant,” said David Payne, a news reporter.

Christine Hancock, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing cites the “phenomenal cutback” in student nurses, from an intake of 37000 in the mid-1980s to 13000 in 1996. The south east's recruitment problems have been exacerbated since, on qualifying, many of its staff move to other parts of the country.

A recent survey carried out by Northwick Park and St Mark's Hospital NHS Trust in northwest London found a shortfall of 12-14% across all nursing staff, while specialties such as geriatrics and general medicine were hit hardest. Other trusts in the south of England reported nursing shortages in intensive therapy units, orthopaedics, renal units, casualty, and registered sick children's nurses. “The latter are like gold dust,” said Karen Parsley, director of nursing at Brighton Healthcare Trust.

Some trusts, such as the Cheshire Community NHS Healthcare Trust, report fewer problems in recruiting community nurses than hospital based posts. Some trusts are looking at how they can become more attractive employers. Many nurses with family commitments now want child care facilities on site, job sharing, and flexible working hours.

Others are resorting to targeting newly retired staff, appealing to their experience and professionalism to come back and help out. One hospital to adopt such a strategy is Pontefract Hospitals NHS Trust in West Yorkshire. Pontefract General Infirmary planned to open an extra 30 bed ward in November 1995 for five months to cope with an expected influx of seasonal admissions. Problems in recruiting eight temporary nurses at grades D and E resulted in only half the beds being used. “The trust recognised the problem and has agreed to fund these positions permanently,” said Emma Nixon, the trust's personnel officer.”

Clinical nursing directors from trusts throughout Britain blame a combination of factors. Pay and conditions within the NHS is a recurrent theme. About 20000 jobs for skilled nurses have been created in private nursing homes or general practice surgeries in the past year alone. It may be that staff prefer working in the private sector.—ALISON BOULTON, freelance journalist, London