Coronavirus: 65,000 former doctors and nurses urged to return to help NHS respond to crisis

Ministers also announce billions for social care to release NHS beds

Former NHS doctors and nurses will receive a contract including annual leave (Getty)

Sixty-five thousand former nurses and doctors are being urged to return to work to help the NHS cope with an expected surge in coronavirus patients.

Final year medical students and student nurses are also being offered the chance to take temporary but fully paid roles to boost the NHS frontline.

As part of plans to strengthen the NHS, the Department of Health and Social Care announced that £3bn will be injected into social care and schemes to look after the elderly and vulnerable.

The government hopes the investment will help the NHS discharge hospital patients who need care at home. The move could help release 15,000 NHS beds by the end of the month. The health service is trying to free up 30,000 beds by 15 April in total.

Regulators such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council and General Medical Council are to begin writing to 50,000 nurses and 15,000 doctors who have left the professions in the last three years and have up-to-date skills and experience.

Anyone vulnerable to coronavirus will not be expected to rejoin the workforce.

Ruth May, chief nursing officer for England, said: “As the health service gears up to deal with the greatest global health threat in its history, my message to former colleagues is ‘Your NHS Needs You’.

“Our wonderful nurses in every corner of the country are preparing to change the way we work so that we can provide the right care for the rising numbers of people who will need it.

“But we can’t do it alone, so I am urging all recent former nurses to lend us your expertise and experience during this pandemic, because I have no doubt that you can help to save lives.”

Any staff who return will be given a contract that reflects standard terms and conditions such as working hour protections, pay arrangements, and annual leave entitlement.

Today, the government said £2.9bn would be released from the £5bn coronavirus fund announced by chancellor Rishi Sunak in last week’s Budget.

A total of £1.6bn will be directed to local councils to help them increase support for adult social care workers and for providing services to homeless people.

In addition, £1.3bn will be used to enhance NHS discharge processes so patients who no longer need urgent treatment can be sent home. The money will be spent on providing follow-up care in community settings.

While the money will be welcomed by councils and social care providers it is unclear how funds will be able to help fill workforce gaps. There are almost 122,000 vacancies already in social care – with staff earning as little as £16,000 a year.

Health secretary Matt Hancock said: “Our NHS and social care colleagues are at the heart of protecting the most vulnerable during the coronavirus outbreak, and the whole country is tremendously grateful for their commitment during this challenging time.

“This funding will help the NHS and social care services in our communities to rise to this once in a generation challenge by allowing the NHS to do what it needs to, and help move people out of hospital as soon as possible to get them back home with the right support.

“We are clear that we will do whatever it takes to protect lives and protect our NHS.”