The number of students accepted onto nursing degrees in England has fallen 20% in three years, today’s UCAS figures show, as the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) urges the government to intervene and overhaul ‘failing’ nurse recruitment policy.
On A-level results day, the numbers due to start nursing courses is down for the third year in a row, with just 13,870 students accepted onto courses for 2024/25. There has been a devastating collapse in the number of mature students accepted onto nursing courses, falling by almost a quarter (24%) since 2021. Nursing is much more reliant on mature students for recruitment in comparison to other degree courses.
This is the second intake of new nursing students since the announcement of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, with the further falls taking the workforce programme further off track.
The RCN is now reiterating its calls for ministers to urgently intervene and introduce financial incentives for nursing students to boost recruitment in the short, medium, and long-term. The College says these must include government-funded nursing degrees, and the introduction of universal living maintenance grants.
Nursing students have been paying tuition fees since 2017, with the previous Conservative government scrapping the exemption for nursing degrees in 2016, along with other forms of financial support. Currently, students pay £9,250 each year to become qualified nurses.
The RCN believes that to resolve the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis in nursing in the long-term, the new government must take action to make it a more attractive career choice in the first place. This means better pay, creating safer working conditions, and more investment in the services nursing staff work in every day.
Executive Director of RCN England, Patricia Marquis, said:
“Every student accepted onto a nursing course today is starting the journey towards an incredible and fulfilling career, but the reality is we need many, many more to do the same. The numbers joining the profession have fallen once again, down 20% in just three years. Nurse recruitment policy is failing right in front of our eyes and a workforce crisis is deepening.
“Ministers must introduce proper financial incentives to make nursing a more viable option for students. That must include government-funded degrees, universal living maintenance grants and action to improve pay and conditions for those who qualify.
“Of particular concern is the devastating collapse in mature students joining the profession, down a quarter on 2021. Their rich life experiences make them ideal for nursing, but they are being put off by massive debt and a system that provides little financial support for people who often have caring duties of their own.
“The demand for health and care services is growing and the needs of patients are getting more complex. The new government’s promise of change must include changing the way we recruit into our profession.”
EndsNotes to editors
According to the latest figures from UCAS released today (Thursday 15 August), the number of acceptances to study nursing in England were 13,870. This is a decrease from the previous year of 14,010 (1%), and down from 17,440 in 2021, by 20% in three years.
The latest University and College Admission Service data was published earlier today and can be found here.
