Number of nurses contemplating suicide doubles

Persistent understaffing, intolerable pressures at work and financial insecurity at home may be contributing factors.

The number of nurses who told an advice line they were contemplating suicide has nearly doubled.

There’s been a 98% increase in nursing staff telling the Royal College of Nursing’s Advice Line during an initial call that they’re having suicidal thoughts in the first 10 months of 2023 compared to the same timeframe last year.

In just the last month there was the equivalent of one person every working day reporting suffering from suicidal ideation during their initial call.

The College has admitted it is concerned that persistent understaffing, intolerable pressures at work and financial insecurity at home may be contributing factors.

With more than 40,000 nursing vacancies in the NHS in England alone, and a record number of patients on an NHS waiting list, the pressure on nursing staff is mounting. 

There’s been a 98% increase in nursing staff telling the Royal College of Nursing’s Advice Line during an initial call that they’re having suicidal thoughts in the first 10 months of 2023 compared to the same timeframe last year.

In just the last month there was the equivalent of one person every working day reporting suffering from suicidal ideation during their initial call.

The College has admitted it is concerned that persistent understaffing, intolerable pressures at work and financial insecurity at home may be contributing factors.

With more than 40,000 nursing vacancies in the NHS in England alone, and a record number of patients on an NHS waiting list, the pressure on nursing staff is mounting. 

hockingly around a third of the 41 mental health hubs established across NHS England have closed leaving some staff lacking support. 

A frightening wake-up call.

Speaking about the data, RCN Interim Head of Nursing Practice Stephen Jonessaid: “The rise in nursing staff having suicidal thoughts should be a frightening wake-up call.

“Nursing staff contribute so much to our society, but working in an inherently stressful job can come at an enormous personal cost. Yet we see support services cut when we should be seeing greater investment in looking after those who care for us.  

Mr Jones added, “The increasing burden on nursing staff, as they try to help clear the excessive backlog in care, has created intolerable working conditions on every shift. Coupled with nursing pay not keeping up with the cost-of-living, we’re alarmed by this growing mental health crisis among nursing staff. 

“The UK government must understand that cuts to mental health support for nursing staff can’t continue – when you invest in the health of nursing staff you also invest in the health of patients.” 

The RCN is reiterating its call on the government to urgently providefunding for dedicated mental health support for nursing staff and, more broadly, to tackle chronic nursing workforceshortages, which add unprecedented pressure on staff.