NHS Employers responds to Nursing and Midwifery Council's latest UK Register data 

Responding to the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s latest UK Register data, Caroline Waterfield, director of development and employment at NHS Employers, said:

"The figures show the importance of ensuring that NHS organisations continue to prioritise embedding inclusive employment practices for all staff, with the data showing that a third of those on the register are Black, Asian and minority ethnic professionals.

"Under the headlines there are numbers that act as an alarm call when it comes to developing the forthcoming 10-year workforce plan. Most notably in terms of the numbers of registered midwives and learning disability nurses.

"The report shows a smaller number of midwives joining the register coupled with an increase in midwife registrants leaving, when compared to the same time last year, as well as a concerning further decline in learning disability nursing registrants. When it comes to learning disability nursing, decisive action must be taken to address the numbers being trained and retained in this critical and specialist area of nursing expertise."