Recommendation 9

The Department acknowledged that the demand for nurses and the extent of nurse shortages vary between specialisms and regions.14 For example, in the period July– September 2019, NHS trusts in England reported an overall nursing vacancy rate of 12%, but these ranged as high as 16% for mental health trusts and 15% in London.15 Macmillan Cancer Support noted that the number of specialist cancer nurses is not rising at the pace that patients need. Similarly, Unison reported that the number of nurses registered with specialist community and public health qualifications has fallen every year since 2016.16 Between 2010 and 2019, the overall number of NHS nurses in hospital and community services rose by 5%, but numbers in some specialisms reduced—for example, a 38% reduction for learning disability nurses.17 8 NHS, We are the NHS: People Plan 2020/21 – action for us all, July 2020 9 Qq 21–22 10 C&AG’s Report, para 11 - 12 11 Qq 20, 24 12 C&AG’s Report, para 4, 3.4a; Sue Ryder submission, para 10; NWF0002 - The King’s Fund submission, para 14 13 Q 23; C&AG’s Report, paras 11, 3.11 14 Q 71 15 C&AG’s Report, para 1.4 16 NWF0007 - MacMillan Cancer Support submission, para 2.2; NWF0003 - UNISON submission, para 15 17 C&AG’s Report, para 1.2 10 NHS nursing workforce