THERE has been a 12% drop in applicants to nursing programmes in Scotland compared to last year, new figures from UCAS have revealed.
The number of applicants as of June 30 2022 sat at 7930 compared to 9010 this time last year.
Early this year, it was revealed that three out of five nurses in NHS Scotland were thinking about leaving their job, with 1 in 5 saying they were actively planning on quitting.
Nurses who responded to the survey said feeling undervalued, working under too much pressure, low staff levels and low pay were the main reasons why they want to quit their job.
On Tuesday, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) opened a ballot to NHS Scotland members working on “Agenda for Change” contracts, where they recommended members reject the 5% pay award offered by the Scottish Government for 2022-23.
It also asked whether they would be willing to take industrial action in response to the offer, up to and including strike action.
As of May 2022, the UK rate of inflation sits at 9%, as the cost of living crisis continues to squeeze households across Scotland and the wider UK.
Colin Poolman, the interim director of the RCN Scotland said: “A 12% drop in applications to nursing courses in Scotland is a real cause for concern amid a workforce crisis which is compromising safe patient care.
"With the biggest drop in mature student applications, financial pressures are at play and the prospect of starting a degree course when the cost of living is soaring is a bridge too far. Nursing is a hugely diverse profession and relies on attracting people of all ages and all walks of life, often as a second career.
"To tackle record nursing vacancies, the Scottish Government must ensure that nursing is an attractive career, starting with fair pay, good employment terms and safe working conditions for nursing staff wherever they work.”
