In June 2023, the vacancy rate of the NHS workforce in England stood at 8.9 percent. The NHS vacancy rate in the first quarter of 2023/2024 was 10.6 percent within the nursing workforce and 7.2 percent among doctors. Vacancy figures decreased in March and June 2020, which corresponds to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic when recruitment activity within the NHS was disrupted.
Vacancy rate of the NHS workforce in England from Q1 2018/19 to Q1 2023/24, by staff group
A vacancy is defined as a post that is unfilled by permanent or fixed-term staff. Some vacant posts may be filled by agency or temporary staff, but these posts are still considered to be vacancies.
The number of vacancies is the difference between the number of reported full-time equivalent (FTE) permanent or fixed-term staff in post and planned workforce levels (i.e. the total funded or budgeted establishment on an FTE basis). The number of vacancies is on an FTE basis.
The vacancy rate is a calculation of the FTE number of vacancies as a percentage of planned FTE workforce levels.
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NHS. (May 29, 2024). Vacancy rate of the NHS workforce in England from Q1 2018/19 to Q1 2023/24, by staff group [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 19, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1269990/nhs-england-workforce-vacancy-rate-by-staff-group/
NHS. "Vacancy rate of the NHS workforce in England from Q1 2018/19 to Q1 2023/24, by staff group." Chart. May 29, 2024. Statista. Accessed December 19, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1269990/nhs-england-workforce-vacancy-rate-by-staff-group/
NHS. (2024). Vacancy rate of the NHS workforce in England from Q1 2018/19 to Q1 2023/24, by staff group. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 19, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1269990/nhs-england-workforce-vacancy-rate-by-staff-group/
NHS. "Vacancy Rate of The Nhs Workforce in England from Q1 2018/19 to Q1 2023/24, by Staff Group." Statista, Statista Inc., 29 May 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1269990/nhs-england-workforce-vacancy-rate-by-staff-group/
NHS, Vacancy rate of the NHS workforce in England from Q1 2018/19 to Q1 2023/24, by staff group Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1269990/nhs-england-workforce-vacancy-rate-by-staff-group/ (last visited December 19, 2024)
Vacancy rate of the NHS workforce in England from Q1 2018/19 to Q1 2023/24, by staff group [Graph], NHS, May 29, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1269990/nhs-england-workforce-vacancy-rate-by-staff-group/