According to recent research, more than 40,000 nurses left the NHS in the past year which is the highest NHS staff turnover since records began.
This is even more concerning when you look at the new hire turnover rate between January to June. While 44,500 joined the NHS workforce, we saw 40,365 pack their bags.
Plus, it’s not just older nurses looking to retire who are driving these numbers up, but also younger workers - some of whom are very new to the profession.
In fact, it was found that the second most common reason for nurses quitting (besides retirement) is the lack of work/life balance offered by the profession.
Between April to June 2022 alone, we saw just under 7,000 members of staff leave due to this lack of flexibility. This has increased almost fourfold compared to last year.
People leaving due to health reasons came in third place (around 1,800) - a figure that has also nearly quadrupled over the last year.
One survey found that feeling undervalued, overworked and generally burnout were the key catalysts for nurses wanting to quit.
Poor staffing was also a reason highlighted by the same group, illustrating the vicious cycle the NHS has found itself in; as well as the desperate need for improved retention.
Even more concerningly, it was found that discrimination was a driving factor of the high turnover rates, with 13% of nurses reporting this as one of their top three reasons.
This is echoed by the 2021 NHS staff survey which discovered that one in 10 nursing staff had experienced hostility from fellow colleagues in the form of abuse, harassment and/or bullying.
How can MCM Medical help?
MCM Medical strongly believes in putting candidate needs first and that’s why we are proud to offer a range of ultra-flexible nursing roles that work around your commitments.
Register as a candidate today to get started on finding a job that will bring back your passion for nursing!
We send all our members all the latest industry news as well as job openings not yet on the market (don’t say we don’t spoil you!).
In the meantime, feel free to reach out to our experienced team via email at info@mcmmedical.co.uk if there is something you would like to discuss.
If you’re a client looking for staffing solutions, we’re also here to help! Book in a call with us now for more information.
MCM Medical is an approved supplier on the NHS Workforce Alliance Framework.