Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the disparity between the level of NHS demand for nurses and the lack of employment opportunities for newly qualified nursing graduates; and what steps his Department is taking to address this.

Nurses play a vital role across the National Health Service and wider health and care system, and the Department and NHS England are committed to ensuring newly qualified nurses can access meaningful employment opportunities after graduation.

NHS England is actively monitoring the position and proactively working with employers, universities, and system partners to improve access to vacancies, broaden opportunities across community, primary care, social care and independent sector settings, and provide practical support that helps newly registered nurses successfully transition into professional practice.