The number of registered nurses in Northern Ireland has declined despite an average increase for the UK as a whole, according to figures released one day ahead of planned strike action.

The latest mid-year figures from the Nursing and Midwifery Council showed that Northern Ireland was the only country in the UK to lose nurses rather than gain them between April and September 2019.

While the overall nurse workforce across the UK grew by 1% over this period, from 653,544 to 660,213, the number of registrants in Northern Ireland fell by 0.19% from 23,324 to 23,280.

However, this was an improvement from the same period last year, when Northern Ireland lost 50 registered nurses.

There was also a decline in midwives in Northern Ireland between April and September 2019 of eight (0.67%), leaving 1,185 in the profession – a greater decrease compared to last year, which saw five leave the register.

The publication of the data comes ahead of planned strike action by members of the Royal College of Nursing in Northern Ireland tomorrow in the ongoing dispute over safe staffing and pay parity.

This will be the first time the RCN has taken part in such action anywhere in the UK in its 103-year history.

The latest report from the Department of Health showed there was an 80% rise in the number of nursing vacancies since 2017.

As of September, there were nearly 3,000 vacancies across nursing and midwifery professions in Northern Ireland.

The largest vacancy number was in nursing, with 2,269 posts actively being recruited for.

There were also 521 vacant nurse support posts, and three empty support midwives positions.

Dame Donna Kinnair, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College if Nursing, said: “It’s good news that the number of nurses on the UK register has grown slightly.

“But this small overall increase comes against a backdrop of rising vacancies in England, while the total number of nurses on the register in Northern Ireland has actually fallen, demonstrating the extent of the shortage and the urgent need for action to address the recruitment and retention crisis there.”

RCN members will demonstrate their frustration by not working for 12 hours - but some specialists will continue with work as normal.

On Twitter, RCN director in Northern Ireland, Pat Cullen, said: “RCN in NI must make clear that our nurses have not withdrawn from providing chemotherapy services or palliative care services tomorrow. Most definitely not.”

Members of the RCN are also set to embark on several days of targeted stike action from late January through to early March.