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More than one in 11 nursing posts in the North East and Yorkshire are currently vacant.

There are 4,729 vacant posts in the North East and Yorkshire, 9,2% of all nursing posts in the regions. They are lumped together in official NHS data.

And nationwide 10.7% of positions are unfilled. The high vacancy rate helps explain why the NHS doesn't have as many nurses as it needs, according to the National Audit Office (NAO), the official watchdog for public spending.

It reports that the number of nurses working in the NHS rose by 5% overall between 2010 and 2019, which means the number has risen since during the Conservatives’ time in office.

But in a new report, it warns: “Despite overall increases in the number of nurses, the NHS does not have the nurses it needs.”

This is partly because there were more than 43,000 vacancies reported by NHS trusts in July to September 2019.

The NAO publishes reports like this on a regular basis. However, the findings have particular significance today, because of the strain that the NHS is likely to be put under if the coronavirus spreads in the UK, as Government officials predict it will.

Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, said: “As the coronavirus spreads, the importance of the NHS and nurses who look after us becomes ever more apparent.

“There are 44,000 nursing vacancies. Plans to increase the numbers of nurses starting degrees have failed to meet expectations.

“It takes 3-4 years for policies to train new nurses to have an impact. The governments’ People Plan must be fully funded and finally start to tackle the real reasons why there are not enough nurses.”

The National Audit Office reports that the overall number of NHS nurses in hospital and community services increased by 5% between 2010 and 2019, although there were substantial reductions for some types of nurse. For example, the number of learning disability nurses fell by 38%, more than a third.

And while the number of nurses grew, the amount of work carried out by the NHS grew at a faster rate.

Analysis covering the period from 2010-11 to 2016-17 shows that the number of nurses grew by 1% while the ncreases in the amount of activity in hospital and community health services was 23%.

Even when vacancies are filled, this does not mean that permanent staff have been found. In fact, an estimated 80% of vacancies are filled by temporary staff.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:

“There are already record numbers of nurses in our NHS, up by over 8,000 compared to the same time last year – and we will deliver 50,000 more nurses over the next five years.

“We’re taking immediate action to reduce vacancies including funding for 5,000 more student training placements a year and supporting greater international recruitment. From September we’re also giving nursing students at least £5,000 a year to help secure the staff we need for the future.”

The National Audit Office also found that the number of applications for nursing degrees dropped significantly following funding changes and subsequent numbers of new students have been below the Department’s targets.

Students doing a first degree in nursing used to receive a bursary from the government of up to £16,454 a year. This included payment of their tuition fee, of up to £9,000 a year, and funding for living expenses.

But this was scrapped, with nurses receiving loans instead. The Government said this would help pay for more student nurse places.

However, the NAO said: “In 2017, the first year of the new arrangements, the number of applicants fell by 11,000 (21%). Universities accepted a higher proportion of applicants than previously, so there was only a 3% fall in the number of new nursing students.

“Since 2017, numbers of nursing places have not increased as anticipated, and did not meet the Department’s 2018-19 and 2019-20 commitments to a 25% increase."