A RECORD number of staff left their posts at Morecambe Bay Trust (UHMBT) last year, according to new figures. 

Newly-released NHS Digital figures, which are rounded to the nearest five, show around 350 NHS staff resigned from their roles at the trust in 2021-22. 

This was up from around 245 in 2019-20, and the highest number since records began a decade earlier. 

80 nurses left their post at Morecambe Bay, which is up from 40 in 2019-20. 

10 midwives handed in their notice at the Trust as well in this period. 

A resignation does not necessarily mean the staff member has left the NHS altogether, as the figures also include any promotions and relocations.

In response to the stats UHMBT bosses released internal data that covers a more recent time period from January 2022 to January 2023, which shows that even more nurses left the organisation. 

141 registered nurses left the trust during this period. However, the trust argued that this was mostly to do with staff retiring, relocating, and the end of fixed-term contracts for vaccination hubs related to the pandemic. 

The figures were broken down into the different reasons for staff leaving and it is as follows:

51 retired, 50 relocated, 18 were on end-of-fixed-term contracts at vaccination hubs, 16 were 'non-known' and 6 'health.'

UHMBT also argued that only 3.5 per cent of positions are vacant. Of these, 70.5 are whole-time equivalent vacancies, with a further 73.7 recruits going through checks and clearances. 

Alison Balson, the chief people officer at UHMBT, said: "We remain safely staffed and communities should be reassured that we are providing safe and compassionate care. 

"As a Trust, we are focused on staff wellbeing and retention and have a number of programmes to ensure staff are professionally satisfied and valued as employees. Our rate of turnover compares favourably with equivalent Trusts and more favourably than comparator commercial organisations."

Pat Cullen, the general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing said: "Years of underinvestment – including a decade of real-terms pay cuts – means record numbers of staff are leaving the NHS."

The Department for Health and Social Care said it has given one million workers a pay rise of at least £1,400 this year.