Home / Health / New Apprenticeship Fights Crucial Nurse Deficit
New Apprenticeship Fights Crucial Nurse Deficit
1 Sep
Summary
- Learning disability nurse numbers in England have nearly halved.
- A new apprenticeship aims to address this critical shortage.
- People with learning disabilities face premature deaths.
The number of specialist learning disability nurses in England has seen a significant decline, dropping by approximately 44% between 2009 and 2024. This reduction has raised serious concerns, particularly as a recent government report indicated that individuals with learning disabilities in England are dying, on average, 20 years earlier than the general population.
To combat this escalating crisis, Plymouth Marjon University has launched an apprenticeship course specifically designed for mature students seeking to specialize in learning disability nursing. Fifteen students have already successfully completed this vital program.
This initiative is crucial, as learning disability nurses are deemed "absolutely crucial" for care. The urgency is further underscored by findings that nearly 40% of deaths among people with learning disabilities and autism in 2023 were considered avoidable, a rate nearly double that of the general population. Learning disability nursing now constitutes only 2% of all nursing students nationally.
