As winter sets in, the focus will once again be on how the NHS fares and at the frontline will be thousands of nurses doing their best in testing circumstances.

Therefore the warning from top nurses that the Government’s reforms for the health service “stand no chance” if issues with recruitment and retention in the profession are not addressed is a stark reminder of the challenges ahead for Labour.

While the number of nurses and midwives registered in the UK has grown to a record high, the workforce is increasingly lacking the experience.

The latest mid-year report from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) shows there were a record 841,367 professionals on the register as of the end of September, an increase of 14,949 compared to the previous six months and 22 per cent higher than March 2017.

A general view of staff on a NHS hospital ward. PIC: Jeff Moore/PA Wire

placeholder image — A general view of staff on a NHS hospital ward. PIC: Jeff Moore/PA Wire

This growth is to be welcomed but it’s important to remember that it is being upheld by a “steady pattern” of domestic recruitment and a “significant rise” in overseas joiners. And there are still gaps in key areas.

The Government needs to come up with a dual-pronged plan that not only strengthens recruitment in the short-term but also puts in place a long-term plan that will ensure that staffing is up to the proper levels across the NHS.

That may well entail having to recruit from overseas. However, alongside there needs to be a greater emphasis on training the next generation of British nurses.

Recruitment is one thing, retention is another and the two go hand-in-hand when it comes to staffing.