Professionals predict UK nursing shortage

Britain is set to see a shortage of nurses, according to an academic.

Commenting on a poll conducted by magazine the Nursing Times , Professor at the faculty of social sciences and health care at Edinburgh's Queen Margaret University College, James Buchan, said that the skills shortage will become apparent within the next five years.

The poll found that the UK currently has 400,000 practicing nurses, with 180,000 due to retire within the next ten years.

Of the 3,392 nurses questioned by the publication's survey, 90% said they felt the Government was not doing enough to promote nursing as a career for students.

Mr Buchan commented: 'This flags up the big issue that is looming in nursing - that significant numbers of experienced staff are not going to be around in five years' time.'

Work-related stress among nurses is also something which must be properly addressed before the industry can move onwards, he added.

The nursing profession has been subject to attention recently as discussions have been held to decide whether to make it into a graduate vocation.