Nursing near you: South west England

Welcome to the south west of England

The south west is the largest English region by area, stretching from Cornwall in the west to Wiltshire in the east. It has the highest proportion of people aged 65+.

Overall, south westerners experience a higher life expectancy and lower levels of poverty and deprivation compared with other English regions.

This page was last updated in April 2024. We will update this page next in October 2024.

Key statistics for this region

Population health

This region has a population of 6,006,444
On average, 55.2% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (13,217 individual cases)
6,840 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (143.6 deaths per 100,000 people)
45,763 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 58.8%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 135,584 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (18.1%)
9,705 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (19.8%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 418 children died before their first birthday (3.2 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 302,560 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (19.3%)
23,795 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (2010.8 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 1,550 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 8.9% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 79.5 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 83.8 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 64.1 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 64.6 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 30,196 NHS nurses and health visitors in this region
As of August 2023, there were 50.3 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the regional population
As of August 2023, there were 32,441 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 54.0 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the regional population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 30,296 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 2,145 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 49,204 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 5.1%
Between January and December 2022, £169,075,053 was spent on agency registered nurses

6,006,444 Population of region

30,196 Full-time equivalent NHS nurses and health visitors

Statistics by local integrated care system (ICS)

NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire

Population health

This ICS has a population of 980,516
On average, 55.0% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (2,165 individual cases)
1,061 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (126.4 deaths per 100,000 people)
7,262 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 56.2%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 22,613 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (13.3%)
1,935 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (19.6%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 76 children died before their first birthday (2.8 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 88,006 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (33.0%)
4,265 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (2,156 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 130 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 5.7% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 80.5 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 84.5 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 64.5 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 64.4 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 4,988 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 50.9 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 5,402 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 55.1 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 5,058 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 344 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 8,186 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 5.2%
Between January and December 2022, £32,083,097 was spent on agency registered nurses

NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

Population health

This ICS has a population of 601,786
On average, 56.2% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (1,784 individual cases)
896 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (151.0 deaths per 100,000 people)
5,331 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 56.9%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 20,429 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (21.9%)
1,035 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (19.0%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 45 children died before their first birthday (3.3 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 22,324 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (12.7%)
2,395 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (1,653 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 130 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 5.6% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 79.2 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 83.6 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 63.8 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 66.0 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 2,579 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 42.9 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 2,803 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 46.6 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 2,584 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 219 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 4,346 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 5.4%
Between January and December 2022, £20,186,643 was spent on agency registered nurses

NHS Devon

Population health

This ICS has a population of 1,273,431
2,882 individual cases of cancer were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021
1,680 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (158.4 deaths per 100,000 people)
11,006 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 55.9%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 37,420 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (20.3%)
2,035 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (19.4%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 80 children died before their first birthday (2.7 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 82,900 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (26.3%)
5,475 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (1,870 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 450 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 9.8% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 79.0 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 83.3 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 64.9 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 63.3 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 7,192 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 56.5 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 7,686 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 60.4 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 7,242 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 443 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 11,990 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 5.3%
Between January and December 2022, £24,269,493 was spent on agency registered nurses

NHS Dorset

Population health

This ICS has a population of 819,184
On average, 56.0% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (2,420 individual cases)
1,050 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (134.4 deaths per 100,000 people)
7,885 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 55.9%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 19,089 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (15.5%)
1,305 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (18.3%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 58 children died before their first birthday (3.3 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 23,025 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (10.0%)
4,615 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (2,129 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 280 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 9.6% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 80.1 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 84.4 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 63.8 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 65.2 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 4,394 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 53.6 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 4,629 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 56.5 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 4,324 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 305 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 7,522 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 5.3%
Between January and December 2022, £26,403,281 was spent on agency registered nurses

NHS Gloucestershire

Population health

This ICS has a population of 676,860
On average, 55.5% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (1,551 individual cases)
815 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (131.5 deaths per 100,000 people)
6,062 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 63.3%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 18,078 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (16.0%)
1,375 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (20.3%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 63 children died before their first birthday (3.7 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 42,266 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (22.0%)
2,420 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (1,665 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 150 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 6.7% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 79.8 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 83.6 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 67.4 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 66.4 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 3,155 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 46.6 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 3,346 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 49.4 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 3,120 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 227 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 4,671 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 4.7%
Between January and December 2022, £16,846,611 was spent on agency registered nurses

NHS Somerset

Population health

This ICS has a population of 596,836
On average, 55.1% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (1,601 individual cases)
781 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (132.9 deaths per 100,000 people)
5,193 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 53.8%.
1,020 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (20.6%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 42 children died before their first birthday (2.9 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 29,971 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (17.6%)
3,015 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (2,030 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 250 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 11.1% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 80.1 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 84.2 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 64.2 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 65.7 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 2,994 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 50.2 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 3,236 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 54.2 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 3,006 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 230 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 4,774 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 4.9%
Between January and December 2022, £11,293,898 was spent on agency registered nurses

NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

Population health

This ICS has a population of 1,057,832
On average, 53.4% of cancers were diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 in 2021 (814 individual cases)
557 deaths among people aged under 75 were from preventable causes (170.7 deaths per 100,000 people)
3,024 people aged under 65 were diagnosed with dementia in 2023. The estimated dementia diagnosis rate for people aged under 65 is 69.7%.
Between 2021 and 2022, 17,955 children under the age of 16 came from low-income families (21.8%)
1,000 children aged 10 and 11 in school year 6 are obese (21.6%)
Between 2019 and 2021, 54 children died before their first birthday (3.4 infants per 1,000)
Between 2018 and 2023, 14,068 eligible people aged 40 to 74 received an NHS health check (13.5%)
1,610 emergency hospital admissions were due to falls in people aged 65 and over (2,573 emergency hospital admissions per 100,000)
Between 2020 and 2021, 160 additional deaths occurred in winter compared with other times of the year. Between August 2020 and July 2021, 13.5% of deaths were excess winter deaths.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy at birth for males is 77.9 years
The life expectancy at birth for females is 82.8 years
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for males is 59.8 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.
The estimated average healthy life expectancy at birth for females is 61.5 years. This is a rough estimate due to missing data for a significant number of Local Authorities.

Workforce planning

There are 4,894 NHS nurses and health visitors in this ICS
As of August 2023, there were 46.3 NHS nurses and health visitors per 10,000 of the ICS population
As of August 2023, there were 5,339 nurses in Hospital and Community Health Service and GP settings (excluding health visitors)
There are 50.5 NHS nurses and GP nurses per 10,000 of the ICS population (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 4,962 Hospital and Community Health Service Nurses (excluding health visitors)
As of August 2023, there were 377 nurses working in general practice
As of March 2023, 7,715 fixed-term equivalent days had been lost to workforce sickness
As of March 2023, the overall workforce sickness rate was 4.9%
Between January and December 2022, £56,212,760 was spent on agency registered nurses