There are still around 40,000 unfilled nursing posts across the NHS in England.
A campaign to encourage former nurses to return to the profession has been launched by Health Education England (HEE) in partnership with Heart Radio.
The partnership will see nurses telling their inspiring return to practice stories on radio adverts, the Heart Radio website and their social media channels.
HEE has described the drive to recruit nurses and midwives back into practice “permanently” as “more important than ever” ahead of the closure of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) temporary register.
The temporary register was established by the NMC to bolster nursing numbers in response to the pandemic.
Despite a Conservative party pre-election pledge to ensure there are 50,000 more nurses working in the NHS before 2024, there are still around 40,000 unfilled nursing posts in England alone.
Returning to the profession.
Nurses and midwives can take one of three routes back to their profession; a return to practice (RTP) course, a NMC Test of Competence, or readmission for those who meet the requirements.
HEE Chief Nurse Mark Radford explains that while some of the systems may have changed the fundamentals of being a nurse remain the same.
Mr Radford explained; “Returners bring back valuable expertise to the professions, and we want to enable them to complete the NMC requirements, return to the register and into roles within our clinical services.
“Some of the processes may have changed and there might be some new technology, but the fundamental qualities of a nurse and midwife remain the same and are just as valuable as ever.
“These qualities never leave a nurse or midwife, and they are always needed in the NHS.”
