RECORD increase has been witnessed in number of all professionally qualified clinical staff, doctors, nurses, paramedics and support staff in the NHS this year, data shows.
The monthly NHS workforce data, published on Thursday (23), has stated that 13,502 more nurses and 7,890 more doctors were added to the workforce in England until the end of April this year compared to 2019.
Currently, the number of nurses and doctors in the NHS stand at 296,008 and 120,194 respectively, official figures show.
Moreover, the latest UCAS statics has revealed a 16 per cent rise in applicants for nursing and midwifery courses in England, the second year-on-year increase. Over 18,370 nursing and midwifery professionals have registered to work in the UK compared to a year ago.
GP trainees in England have risen for the third year, with recruitment up 15 per cent compared to the same point last year.
“This pandemic has shown how proud the entire country is of all our brave health and care workers, and what an essential role they play in society," said health secretary Matt Hancock.
“We made the commitment of 50,000 more nurses by end of this Parliament, and I’m determined we will meet it."
The new figures also showed that as many as 442 former healthcare professionals were returned to service, of which, there were 82 doctors and 112 nurses and health visitors.
The UK government recently announced a 2.8 per cent pay rise for NHS doctors and dentists, back dated to April 2020.
Kulsuma Aktergetty images