NHS exodus - Mayor failing to nurse it better

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 11th Dec 2002

The Mayor's Senior Policy Advisor on Health today admitted, under questioning from the Lib Dems about how the Mayor is tackling London's health crisis, that the falling numbers of health professionals in London is a 'fundamental issue' for the Mayor and the NHS.

50,000 extra staff are needed according to Neale Coleman – but Lynne Featherstone, Lib Dem health spokesperson, questioned whether the Mayor's housing policies would provide enough affordable housing to keep them in the capital.

Mr Coleman also suggested that the Government's much-trumpeted Starter Home Initiative might not be reaching its target groups, like nurses, who most need its help.

Ms Featherstone commented: "In his election campaign, the Mayor pledged to tackle this problem with an effective strategy to recruit more NHS staff. However, it's more than two years since he took office and still London is haemorrhaging health workers and the Mayor seems to be doing little to stem the flow."

"Many staff are having to leave London because of the high property prices. The Mayor's affordable housing policies are failing to keep them in the capital – 79 per cent of nurses who trained in London seven years ago have now left1. Those that do remain struggle: half already work two jobs to make ends meet2.

She added: "It is worrying that the Government's Starter Home Initiative may be, according to the Mayor's health and housing expert, failing to help its target key staff. There must be more rigorous evaluation to ensure that resources are getting to those most in need and money is not being wasted."

1. British Medical Association (2002). Data from the BMA Cohort Study.

2. Royal College of Nursing Membership Survey (2001)