NHS nurses 'quitting London hospitals' because 'they can't afford to feed their kids'
NHS London faces a workforce crisis exacerbated by the pandemic
By Lucy Williamson
NHS London faces a workforce crisis exacerbated by the pandemic
By Lucy Williamson
Health Correspondent, 6 JUL 2022
London nurses are considering leaving London to work in neighbouring counties as they 'can't afford to feed their kids', a council leader has said today (July 6). Speaking at the London Health Board today, Enfield council leader Nesil Caliskan laid bare the workforce challenges currently facing the staff who are the backbone of the NHS in London, who are often the lowest paid.
Council Caliskan said: "As long as you have the lowest paid workers in health and social care unable to pay their rent in this city, quite frankly, as a nurse said to me 'Why would I continue to work in A&E in North Middlesex hospital and not go to a Hertfordshire hospital, have a much quieter life and be able to pay my rent and feed my kids?' and quite frankly, she's right.
"As long as we don't solve [this] we will have a workforce crisis in this city...ultimately this all has an impact on the patient that walks through the door."
READ MORE:London maternity staff 'quitting to work in coffee shops because pay is better' as Dr Hilary blames NHS workers being 'exploited'
London nurses are considering leaving London to work in neighbouring counties as they 'can't afford to feed their kids', a council leader has said today (July 6). Speaking at the London Health Board today, Enfield council leader Nesil Caliskan laid bare the workforce challenges currently facing the staff who are the backbone of the NHS in London, who are often the lowest paid.
Council Caliskan said: "As long as you have the lowest paid workers in health and social care unable to pay their rent in this city, quite frankly, as a nurse said to me 'Why would I continue to work in A&E in North Middlesex hospital and not go to a Hertfordshire hospital, have a much quieter life and be able to pay my rent and feed my kids?' and quite frankly, she's right.
"As long as we don't solve [this] we will have a workforce crisis in this city...ultimately this all has an impact on the patient that walks through the door."
READ MORE:London maternity staff 'quitting to work in coffee shops because pay is better' as Dr Hilary blames NHS workers being 'exploited'
Over the last two years staff have rightly been a source of national pride throughout the pandemic. (Image: Getty)
As London continues to recover from the pandemic, health leaders must balance the financial challenges of the need to increase wages in the face of the cost of living crisis and retain staff vs. the cost of delivering a health care system fit for purpose.
Councillor Caliskan added: "Health inequalities differences that exist in our communities exist because they are the family members of the lowest paid members of staff in health and social care. If you take my borough [Enfield], there are 5k care workers, they live in the areas where there are one in three children living in poverty, be in no doubt, that the work lifting up pay standards in the workforce will have the greatest impact in terms of life chances in London which experience high levels of deprivation and being disproportionately impacted by the cost of living crisis."
The adult social care workforce in London is predominantly staffed by women and by people of a Black, Asian and minority ethnic background and as such, work to improve pay, conditions, and recognition of staff in adult social care is intertwined with work to tackle inequalities, members of the Health Board said today.
Prior to the pandemic, London was making progress in growing the workforce, with a 9.7 per cent overall NHS workforce increase in the year to March 31, 2020, the highest growth in recent years. Although growth has continued overall since the pandemic, it has only grown by 5.3 per cent as new supply has been offset by increased turnover.
As well as the workforce challenges presented by the pandemic, the workforce faces other emerging challenges. The latest Health Board paper reads: "[We have] an ageing population (and workforce) which will grow by 60 per cent by 2040 vs 41 per cent for the rest of England.
"We have the challenges emerging due to leaving the EU, including a reduction in EU qualified staff joining the NHS, where London has the greatest volume of EU staff vs any other region. We have the changing health and care needs and an increase in waiting times as a result of the pandemic."
As London continues to recover from the pandemic, health leaders must balance the financial challenges of the need to increase wages in the face of the cost of living crisis and retain staff vs. the cost of delivering a health care system fit for purpose.
Councillor Caliskan added: "Health inequalities differences that exist in our communities exist because they are the family members of the lowest paid members of staff in health and social care. If you take my borough [Enfield], there are 5k care workers, they live in the areas where there are one in three children living in poverty, be in no doubt, that the work lifting up pay standards in the workforce will have the greatest impact in terms of life chances in London which experience high levels of deprivation and being disproportionately impacted by the cost of living crisis."
The adult social care workforce in London is predominantly staffed by women and by people of a Black, Asian and minority ethnic background and as such, work to improve pay, conditions, and recognition of staff in adult social care is intertwined with work to tackle inequalities, members of the Health Board said today.
Prior to the pandemic, London was making progress in growing the workforce, with a 9.7 per cent overall NHS workforce increase in the year to March 31, 2020, the highest growth in recent years. Although growth has continued overall since the pandemic, it has only grown by 5.3 per cent as new supply has been offset by increased turnover.
As well as the workforce challenges presented by the pandemic, the workforce faces other emerging challenges. The latest Health Board paper reads: "[We have] an ageing population (and workforce) which will grow by 60 per cent by 2040 vs 41 per cent for the rest of England.
"We have the challenges emerging due to leaving the EU, including a reduction in EU qualified staff joining the NHS, where London has the greatest volume of EU staff vs any other region. We have the changing health and care needs and an increase in waiting times as a result of the pandemic."
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