Figure 1: Participation in agency nursing, % of total qualified nursing workforce, 2016 and 2023
| Category | 2016 (%) | 2023 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Occasional agency shifts (under 10 hours/month) | 8.2 | 14.5 |
| Regular agency shifts (10-30 hours/month) | 4.1 | 9.8 |
| Full-time agency contracting (30+ hours/month) | 3.5 | 8.2 |
| Active on agency register | 15.8 | 32.5 |
Note: Agency nursing is defined as temporary nurse staffing provided via private healthcare recruitment agencies to public or private healthcare providers.
Figure 2: Median after-tax real hourly earnings of permanent NHS contract nurses and agency contract nurses, 2016 to 2023 (£/hour)
| Year | Permanent NHS Nurse, £/hour | Agency Contract Nurse, £/hour |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 21.50 | 24.50 |
| 2017 | 21.20 | 25.00 |
| 2018 | 20.80 | 26.50 |
| 2019 | 20.50 | 28.00 |
| 2020 | 20.20 | 30.00 |
| 2021 | 20.00 | 31.50 |
| 2022 | 19.80 | 33.00 |
| 2023 | 20.10 | 34.50 |
Note: Base year for real earnings is 2023.
Explain how the data in Extract A (Figure 2) show that the financial incentive for registered nurses to choose agency contracting rather than permanent NHS contract roles increased between 2016 and 2023.
