Overview
- In a poll of more than 20,000 staff, 66% reported working when they should have been on sick leave, up from 49% in 2017.
- Stress was the leading cause of illness for 65% of respondents, marking a sharp rise from 50% in 2017.
- Seventy percent said they work beyond their contracted hours at least weekly, with about half of that extra time unpaid.
- The RCN cites more than 25,000 nursing vacancies and is pressing for legally enforced nurse‑to‑patient ratios and immediate workforce investment.
- Official June data show sickness absence at 4.9% across NHS staff in England and 5.3% for nurses, as the government points to a 10‑year plan, expanded occupational health support and a graduate guarantee.