An alarming new survey has exposed a severe crisis within the UK's nursing workforce, revealing that the majority are now working while unwell due to unsustainable pressures and chronic understaffing.
Overworked and Unwell: The Survey's Stark Findings
Research conducted by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), which polled more than 20,000 nursing staff, found that a staggering 66% have worked when they should have been on sick leave. This marks a sharp increase from the 49% reported in 2017, indicating a rapid deterioration in working conditions.
The primary driver of this ill health is stress, cited by 65% of respondents as their biggest cause of illness, up from 50% just five years ago. Furthermore, the survey uncovered that seven out of ten nurses work beyond their contracted hours at least once a week, with about half (52%) doing so without pay.
A System Pushed to Breaking Point
The root cause of this crisis is a critical shortage of staff. The NHS is currently grappling with more than 25,000 nursing vacancies across England alone. This lack of personnel means that those on the frontline are carrying impossible workloads.
Professor Nicola Ranger, the RCN's Chief Executive and General Secretary, stated that nursing staff are being “driven to ill health by working in understaffed and under-resourced services.” She delivered a powerful assessment of the situation, saying, “They are left with the impossible task of caring for dozens and sometimes over a hundred at a time … the reality is they’re not breaking; many are already broken.”
The human cost is stark. The RCN now receives an average of six calls per day from members distressed about staffing levels, with many reporting burnout, panic attacks, and nightmares. The union anticipates receiving 2,175 such calls by the end of this year, a significant rise from 1,837 in 2023.
Voices from the Frontline
The survey captured harrowing testimonies from nurses. One NHS staff nurse in England revealed they had developed a chronic illness linked to stress but felt unable to take leave “due to the department being overwhelmed and overstretched.”
Another staff nurse from an independent care home shared the daily dread of going to work knowing they would be short-staffed, inevitably leading to working unpaid overtime “just to get everything done.”
Calls for Action and Official Responses
The RCN is demanding new and urgent investment to grow the nursing workforce. Professor Ranger emphasised that this is “cold, hard evidence” that there are too few staff to meet demand and that a safe environment for both workers and patients is desperately needed.
In response, an NHS spokesperson acknowledged the need to address burnout and support wellbeing, highlighting practical steps and a growing network of professional nurse advocates. They also pointed to the ‘graduate guarantee’ which is helping newly qualified nurses find employment.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the government “hugely values” nurses and is taking action through its 10-year health plan to improve conditions for the “overworked and demoralised workforce we inherited,” also citing the graduate guarantee scheme.
