Those who work as part of a nurse agency or even in a nursing recruitment agency should know that the RCN have reiterated calls for an urgent investigation. This was for the upcoming budget which would build the nursing workforce. Nursing degree applications are currently below what is required for effective care and safe staffing. There has been a small increase since last year but the number of people who are actually applying for a nursing degree still stands at 25% lower than it was in the year 2016. Last year, students were able to receive the bursary but there are 43,000 nursing vacancies in England right now.

Dame Donna Kinnair, who is the RCN Chief Executive has come out to say that today, there is a general increase and that this is positive, but decisive action is still needed. Urgency is also required because people need to rise to the scale of the challenge and they also need to be able to really focus on the future and what it has to offer. Nurses are being put off at the fact that they are going to have to pay tuition fees and they are also concerned about the idea of having a lifetime of student debt as well. The RCN have welcomed the promise that has been made by the government. This comes in the form of a £5,000 grant and it is designed to help students with their starting studies. The grant can go towards living costs and this is great, but many have called for all nursing students to be given a higher level of support on top of this. If action was taken, then this would really help people to be given the opportunity to pursue a career in nursing.