Black, Asian and ethnic minority professionals now account for 14.4% of the registerThe number of nursing and midwifery professionals in Northern Ireland has reached a record highThe number of nursing and midwifery professionals in Northern Ireland has reached a record high(Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

The number of nursing and midwifery professionals on the register in Northern Ireland has reached a record 29,666.

That’s according to new data today from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), with a total of 1,461 people joining the register in 2024–2025.

The total number now registered includes 27,975 nurses (+3.4%), 1,352 midwives (+1%), and 338 dual registrants (both a nurse and midwife; +1.8%).

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As the register has continued to grow, it has become more ethnically diverse due to international recruitment from around the world, combined with an increasingly ethnically diverse cohort of UK-educated joiners. Black, Asian and ethnic minority professionals now account for 14.4% of the total register in Northern Ireland – 6.1 percentage points more than five years ago.

A total of 952 people in Northern Ireland left the NMC register last year, with retirement always the top reason for leaving in the NMC’s annual leavers’ survey. However, concerningly, in Northern Ireland the second-most common reason for leaving the register last year was people’s physical or mental health, which is consistent with the current UK-wide picture.

Only 28% of leavers in Northern Ireland said they would recommend a career in nursing or midwifery, although this is higher than last year’s figure of 21.5% and the UK average of 19.9%.

Paul Rees MBE, Interim Chief Executive and Registrar, said: “Nursing and midwifery professionals are a lifeline to people and communities across Northern Ireland and it is reassuring to see a rise in their numbers.

“As the NMC’s register has continued to grow, it has become more diverse. That’s a real strength. It also means we must make sure everyone can work in an environment that values diversity and tackles racism.

“The Nursing and Midwifery Council has a responsibility to be fair to everyone on our register, whatever their background. That’s why we’ll soon be setting bold new targets to eliminate bias from our regulatory processes.”

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