A SPECIALIST business consultancy firm with offices in Hampshire has predicted a shortfall of around 60,000 nurses across the UK.

In their report, ‘The UK Nursing Workforce: Crisis or Opportunity’, Christie and Co have assessed that staffing numbers across the care sector could be dramatically affected as a result of the increasing ageing population.

The firm has predicted the most likely scenario over the next five years is that the shortage will remain at its current level of 15,000 but that things could take a turn for the worse should there be a substantial reduction in immigration in addition to registered nurses leaving the profession.

A survey carried out at 12 of the largest UK care home operators showed that the use of agency staff has risen by 55 per cent over the past two years.

The firm has said, in order to close the gap between supply and demand, the industry needs to make the best use of how nurses and care practitioners deliver care and also needs to entice more nurses to enter the industry and keep them there.

They have also said immigration needs to be encouraged and the barriers to overseas recruitment reduced