Lord Darzi's NHS report shows investment in nursing is needed now

The RCN says the UK government must invest in the nursing profession by introducing a loan forgiveness scheme for nurses working in public services, alongside state-funded degrees to boost recruitment, including in essential specialties.

Ministers must also take steps to improve nursing pay on a long-term basis to support retention of staff. Our comments come as Lord Darzi’s independent investigation of the NHS in England is published.

The review focuses on NHS reform to deliver better preventative services. Over the summer, we submitted evidence as part of an expert reference group.

The UK government is now planning to set out “strategic shifts” for the NHS, with a focus on moving care into community settings, and from sickness to prevention.

Right now, too little capacity in the community means nursing staff in hospitals are all too often forced into caring for patients in corridors, unable to give the quality of care they would want to. This is referred to as “congestion” in the report.

RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger said: “Moving care into the community and supporting people to live healthier lives is key to repairing our health service, taking that pressure and congestion off the hospital and even more importantly improving population health.

“But a fundamental shift to a community care model cannot simply be wished into existence, especially with thousands fewer specialist community nurses. Only dedicated investment to boost recruitment into nursing can ensure we have enough highly trained staff, where patients need them.”

Nicola added: “Nursing staff will recognise many of Lord Darzi’s conclusions, not least how sustained austerity, cuts to public health and failure to invest in community services have impacted NHS performance and patient care.

“The prime minister’s mission to repair a broken NHS is the right one and today’s report demonstrates why that task must start now. The nursing profession stands ready to work in partnership with government.”

Yesterday we warned the specialist nurse workforce is on track to halve in size compared to 2 decades ago and we urged the government to intervene. New RCN analysis shows that district nurse, health visitor and school nurse numbers collapsed between 2009 and 2024, falling by 45%, 32% and 31% respectively across the NHS in England.

In our evidence to Lord Darzi we said district nurses, health visitors and school nurses are crucial to supporting people of all ages to stay healthy and independent, providing advice and interventions to prevent conditions worsening. They couldn’t be more important to the government’s correct plan to move care into the community.