NHS: Nurse Retention Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Willis of Knaresborough
Main Page: Lord Willis of Knaresborough (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Willis of Knaresborough's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(6 years, 7 months ago)
Lords ChamberWe know that we have a growing ageing population—I do not doubt that. We have been increasing real-terms funding for the NHS, which is going on more staff. Nurse numbers have increased and I should point out that there are more doctors and ambulance staff. There have been about 40,000 more clinical staff in general in the NHS over the past few years and more to come in the future.
Does the Minister accept that roughly 10% of our nursing workforce has left the profession this year? Many of them are new recruits or not long into their careers. It takes about £80,000 to train a nurse. Any employer with any sense would want, first, to retain them and, secondly, when they leave, to know why they have left, where they have gone and how to get them back. What are we doing to track people who leave and what are we doing to attract them back?