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Britain: Nursing Issues Could Undermine Reforms VOA News 19 Feb 2002 09:58 UTC 
Britain's professional nursing association says a labor shortage could undermine Britain's plans to modernize its health service.
The Royal College of Nursing Tuesday called on the government to commit more than $4 billion to fund an update of nursing pay and career structures.
A study commissioned by the nurses' association says the staffing shortage is likely to worsen as the workforce ages, since 24-percent of registered nurses are eligible to retire in the next five years. Only one in eight nurses are under age 30, compared to one in four a decade ago.
The study shows international recruits made up almost half of last year's new recruits in Britain, but cautions that the United States and other countries will increase competition from other markets for international help in the future.
Researchers at Queen Margaret University College in Edinburgh, Scotland, compiled the report.
Some information for this report provided by AP.
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