The Royal College of Nursing report, The Nurse Educator Workforce in Higher Education in England: Capacity, Challenges, and Trends, highlights the need for government to recognise the critical role of educators in helping to deliver on ambitious growth plans. Nurses, midwives and allied health professionals rely on education and training to equip them with the skills they need to serve the population. We know there will be increasing demands for these professions, with an aging population, more care in the community and a focus on prevention.
The report makes for sobering reading, drawing attention to several inequalities and concerns across the country. First, 83% of nurse educators in academic settings are from white backgrounds, which is not representative of either the workforce or wider student body. This is a particular concern for London, the UK’s most ethnically diverse city. Second, London was the only region of the UK where the size of the nurse educator workforce declined between 2013/14 and 2022/23, decreasing by 4%. Between 2013 and 2025, London’s population grew by almost a million people. Providing top-quality training and care in the capital requires us to understand and reverse this decline. Lastly, the research shows 74% of nursing departments have a recruitment freeze at a time when we should be looking to increase numbers and attract more people into the profession.
There is an urgent need to attract more people into nursing. The report notes that nearly half the nurse educator workforce is nearing retirement and that there are worrying indicators on morale and workloads. If recruitment campaigns like Study Nursing London are to be successful, we also need to ensure educators, who inspire the students, are valued and respected. This requires engagement and investment from government.
London Higher’s Healthcare Group represents over 20 universities and higher education institutions providing nursing, midwifery, and allied health courses, putting us in a unique position to discussion opportunities and challenges. We urge the Department of Health and Social Care to prioritise working more proactively with us, so that the foundations for success can be put in place for workforce plans. Engaging with us can unlock solutions that not only benefit London but also the rest of the country.
