Learning disability nurse numbers fall as other nursing fields grow marginally

The number of registered learning disability nurses (RNLD) on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register has fallen in the past six months, according to new mid-year figures.

While the children’s, mental health and adult branches of nursing all recorded growth between 1 April and 30 September 2025, the number of learning disability nurses declined by 0.2% – a reduction of 36 professionals.

This compares with a 1.7% rise in children’s nurses, a 1.2% rise in mental health nurses and a 0.5% rise in adult nurses.

The latest data follows exclusive reporting by Nursing in Practice in June that NHS England had given 2028 as the point by which England’s domestic supply of learning disability nurses could cease to exist.

The NMC’s mid-year report, published today, shows the number of nurses, midwives and nursing associates in the UK has risen to a record high of 860,801.

Related Article: How this lead nurse for LD is supporting GP staff and improving patient outcomes

However, it warns of a ‘slower growth’ of the NMC register overall – with a 25.7% decline in the number of new professionals joining the register in the six months to 30 September and a 6.6% rise in those leaving, compared to the same period last year.

The main reason behind the slowdown was a ‘sharp fall’ in the number of internationally educated nurses and midwives joining the register for the first time.

Preventing avoidable deaths

Jonathan Beebee, the Royal College of Nursing’s (RCN’s) professional lead in learning disabilities, told Nursing in Practice that the latest figures for learning disability nursing were deeply troubling and said that profession ‘is in the midst of a workforce crisis’ that requires urgent action.

Mr Beebee noted that the RCN’s ongoing Learning Disability Nursing Review, due for publication by March 2026, has highlighted widespread frustration among nurses in the field.

According to the feedback gathered so far, many feel there is a ‘lack of understanding generally about what they do and that they are not recognised as “proper nurses”’, he said.

‘If we know people with learning disabilities are dying from avoidable deaths, and we know learning disability nurses can reduce avoidable deaths, failing to address this workforce crisis is negligent,’ he warned.

The power of annual health checks (which are often carried out by a nurse) in preventing avoidable deaths was flagged in a Learning from Lives and Deaths (LeDeR) report, published in September.

The report suggests that 39% of deaths in people with a learning disability under 75 were avoidable. The death rate was a drop from 46% in 2021, but was still nearly double the equivalent death rate for the general population.

There were 733 avoidable deaths recorded in the report in 2023, down from 1,230 in 2022 and 1,219 in 2021.

Related Article: The life-saving work of LD nurses in general practice

A health inequality crisis 

Daniel Marsden, senior lecturer in learning disabilities and autism at Canterbury Christ Church University, said: ‘The continued decline in Learning Disability Nursing numbers occurs precisely when we need this specialist workforce most.’

Mr Marsden warned that without access to RNLDs vulnerable people will be at increased risk of preventable health crises and being placed in emergency and forensic settings.

‘The workforce decline isn’t just a staffing issue, it’s a patient safety and health inequality crisis. We’re seeing the consequences already: people with intellectual disabilities dying prematurely, families unable to access timely diagnosis and support, and young adults losing services at transition precisely when they need them most,’ he warned.

Dan Scorer, head of policy learning disability charity Mencap, said: ‘This data presents further evidence of the ever-deepening crisis facing learning disability nursing.

‘This dedicated workforce plays a critical role in delivering inclusive health services and preventing avoidable deaths among people with a learning disability.’

In October, Mencap sent a joint letter alongside other leading charities and health bodies including the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), warning that England’s nursing disability workforce was at risk of ‘imminent collapse’, and demanded an urgent meeting with ministers to agree a ‘rescue plan’ for the profession.

Related Article: MPs urge action on mental health pilot funding and nurse retention

Mr Scorer repeated Mencap’s previous calls for health and social care secretary Wes Streeting to recommit to actions set out in the 2023 workforce plan to invest in and expand learning disability nurse numbers ‘before it’s too late’.

The previous workforce plan, from 2023, committed to increasing training places for learning disability nursing by 46% by 2028/29.

Nursing in Practice has been highlighting the vital work that learning disability nurses do in general practice, including potentially life-saving hospital referrals and delivery of reasonable adjustments in health screenings.