One in eight practice nurse places in the UK is vacant, a new survey from Pulse can reveal.
Out of 718 GPs who provided full responses, there were 1,881 FTE positions, of which 234.5 positions were unfilled – a vacancy rate of 12.5%.
GPs said the figures reflect their experience on the ground and that a plan to boost practice nurse numbers is badly needed.
It comes amid warnings of a ‘demographic time bomb’ among practice nurses and that the shortage may get worse if the Government implements plans to make nurses pay for their own training. From August next year, new nursing, midwifery and allied health students will no longer receive NHS bursaries. Instead, they will have access to the same student loans system as other students.
Full story in Pulse 17 June 2016