Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many unfilled nursing posts (a) there are in the NHS and (b) there were in the NHS in each of the last five years.

Approximately 80% of vacancies are filled by a combination of bank and agency staff. Bank and agency staff are also used to fill non-vacancy gaps such as sickness and maternity, therefore NHS Improvement is unable to provide a specific proportion of vacancies which are currently unfilled by temporary staff.

Many of the positions considered to be ‘vacant’ are in fact filled by highly trained staff who either choose to work additional shifts alongside their substantive posts, or who have chosen to work flexibly full time. The Department is committed to developing staff banks in a way that reflects the contribution of this vital part of the workforce.

While there are vacancies in the National Health Service, a lot of work is underway to improve recruitment and retention. Trusts make decisions based on local needs about how they fill vacant posts, including looking at short-term options for cover such as bank and agency staff.