Responding to the latest Nursing and Midwifery Council registration data, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers Saffron Cordery said:

"Any rise in the number of registered nurses, midwives and nursing associates is welcome but the reality is that the NHS just doesn't have enough staff.

"It is concerning to see a rise in the number of nurses, midwives and nursing associates leaving the register, reversing the trend of recent years. Workforce shortages across the NHS, with more than 110,000 vacancies, are a huge risk to patient safety by impacting the quality of care that overstretched staff can provide – 'too much pressure' is the third most common reason cited by leavers.

"We welcomed the recent £127m boost for maternity services but as trusts work hard to keep improving those services the NHS needs more funding than that every year to recruit and retain enough maternity staff.

"We need a long-term, fully-funded workforce plan for the NHS."