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# 1 in 10 nurses quit the NHS each year
- URL: https://www.birminghameastside.co.uk/nhs-nurses-leaving-crisis/
- Published: 2018-01-17T10:21:41.000Z
- Updated: 2018-01-17T10:21:41.000Z
- Author: Birmingham Eastside
- Tags: Data, Health, News, #Migrated-1786701253228, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-14 09:54

![Two nurses monitoring a newborn baby](http://birminghameastside.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/NICU1.jpg)

A **recent study** suggests that the **NHS** is rapidly losing nurses.

Last year, **33,000** nurses left the NHS, a **20%** rise in nurses leaving in the last **5 years**. For the first time in three years, there has been a decrease in numbers opposed to an increase.

The same is true for nurses in the **West Midlands,** where there is a high rate of NHS nurse 'leavers' in comparison to those joining, which has remained at an almost consistent level since 2013.

![](http://birminghameastside.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/jvlwm.png)

**Michelle McLaughlin**, chief nurse of **Birmingham Children's Hospital,**  believes that the reason nurses are quitting across the country is "multifactorial and complex, concerning more than just finance and budget."

McLaughlin emphasises that "it's important to give staff **flexible shifts** and involve them in decision making. If you've got happy staff you've got happy patients." (Television interview, BBC Breakfast, 17 January 2017).

**Janet Davies**, [Chief Executive and General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing said:](https://www.rcn.org.uk/about-us/press-office?ref=birminghameastside.co.uk)

“Experienced nursing staff are leaving in droves - not because they don’t like the job, but because they can’t afford to stay, while the next generation do not see their future in an under-valued profession."

The news is troubling, especially after the [strain on NHS workers this month. ](http://birminghameastside.com/2018/01/11/nhs-bed-crisis-strikes-hard-in-birmingham/?ref=birminghameastside.co.uk)One is left to question how the worker will cope if the numbers continue to decline.