There are a record 808,488 nurses, midwives and nursing associates on the NMC register, as revealed by the latest mid-year NMC report (released towards the end of 2023).
In the six months prior, 19,857 (2.5%) more professionals had registered. In addition, there were 114,874 (16.6%) more than in September 2018.
Meanwhile 30,103 new people had joined the register in the six months to September 2023. Just over half of these new joiners were educated in the UK, with the other (almost) half being international joiners. Since April, a quarter of UK joiners were from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
On the whole, retention rates remained steady, reported the NMC. Since April, around 1.7% of the register have left, equivalent to the same period in 2022.
‘Strong recruitment and steady retention have taken our register of nurses, midwives and nursing associates to another record high,’ said NMC chief executive and registrar Andrea Sutcliffe.
She added: ‘Our register is now showing fifty-fifty recruitment between UK and internationally educated nursing and midwifery professionals. All these professionals make a vital and welcome contribution to people’s health and wellbeing.’
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