The shortage of NHS staff in England has started worsening again.
Tom Sandford, of the Royal College of Nursing, said the report painted a "bleak picture", pointing out that the number of nurse vacancies had risen by 17% in the past three months alone.
The latest figures have been published by the regulator, NHS Improvement, for the April to June period.
They showed:
- 11.8% of nurse posts were not filled - a shortage of nearly 42,000
- 9.3% of doctor posts were vacant - a shortage of 11,500
- Overall, 9.2% of all posts were not filled - a shortage of nearly 108,000
Tom Sandford, of the Royal College of Nursing, said the report painted a "bleak picture", pointing out that the number of nurse vacancies had risen by 17% in the past three months alone.
Siva Anandaciva, chief analyst at the King's Fund think tank, said the shortage of nurses was at risk of becoming a "national emergency".
Chris Hopson, head of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said services were "most worried" about the vacancies given the situation had started deteriorating. He said the NHS was facing a "triple challenge" of increasing demand, growing workforce shortages and pressure on finances.
Waiting-time targets for A&E and planned operations continue to be missed.
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