July 2020
A record 18,000 new nurses, midwives and nursing associates join the NMC register.
The largest annual increase on record to its register has been welcomed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, but with a warning that the right environment, conditions and incentives need to be created to support the retention of staff for the future.
Andrea Sutcliffe, NMC chief executive and registrar warned that because much of the growth has come from overseas, there were “potential stormy waters ahead.” with restrictions on travel making it harder for new staff to migrate. She added that “the retention of our existing workforce will be ever more important.”