The shortage of nurses across England will continue beyond the turn of the next decade if provider trusts fail to reduce demand for services, it has emerged.
It has been revealed that Health Education England’s commitment to close the gap between the demand and supply of adult nurses is based on providers reducing demand, as outlined in the NHS Five Year Forward View.
HEE has confirmed that it will not be able to supply the health system with enough nurses if trusts cannot cut activity. Without that reduction in demand, HEE has said trusts will continue to struggle to fill vacancies every year to 2020 and beyond.
However, trusts are planning for activity growth above what is envisaged in the forward view – meaning there is a gap between the number of nurses set to be supplied by HEE and the amount trusts believe they need.
Full story in The Nursing Times 8 August 2016