NHS staff vacancies at highest level since records began

Figures come amid fears health service is facing its most difficult winter in history

Around one in 10 full-time equivalent posts in the NHS in England were vacant at the end of June, the highest proportion since current records began in 2018, new figures show.

The NHS Digital data shows that there were 132,139 full-time equivalent vacancies across the health service, the highest since the previous peak of 111,864 at the end of June 2019.

In London, around one in eight (12.5 per cent) posts were vacant, with a record 30,506 vacancies across acute, ambulance, community, mental health and specialist services.

The figures also show there were a record 46,828 full-time equivalent nursing vacancies in England at the end of June.

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The data comes as the health services face what threatens to be the worst winter in its history, with the twin threat of a surge in Covid and flu cases.

It is feared that an early flu season – coupled with rising levels of the virus as people spend more time indoors during the colder months – could place further pressure on the NHS, which is already battling huge waiting lists and delays in ambulance services.

Britain has not had a flu season since before the pandemic and immunity levels are low as a result, experts say.

Earlier this year Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency, warned that she is planning for an “influenza wave”.

“While we normally don’t see influenza really kick off until the end of November to December, that might happen as early as late September-October – that’s what we’re planning for,” Ms Hopkins told a webinar hosted by the Royal Society of Medicine in July.

Data also shows there was a record 46,828 full-time equivalent nursing vacancies (PA)

Ms Hopkins said that she and her colleagues watched Australia “very, very carefully”. Flu season there started early and rose quickly among all age groups, she said.

Earlier this month, Tony Blair’s Institute for Global Change urged ministers to introduce compulsory face masks on public transport again this winter to reduce the spread of Covid or risk the already stretched NHS becoming overwhelmed.

The former prime minister’s Institute for Global Change said a “perfect storm” of unprecedented demand and reduced capacity will see hospital wards fill up to create “the worst crisis in the NHS’s history”.