Responding to the Nursing and Midwifery Council's mid-year registration data, NHS Providers deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery said:

"It is encouraging to see a growth in the numbers of nursing and midwifery staff particularly at this very challenging time for the NHS.

"We are pleased to see close to a 60% increase in nursing associates. The registration of over 1,000 new professionals in this role is a further sign of progress following positive trends in training numbers. Trusts have made it clear nursing associates will be an increasingly integral part of the workforce in the coming months and years.

"There has also been an encouraging increase in applications to nursing degree courses this year but this will take time to feed through to the figures for registered nurses.

"Nursing gaps are still all-too evident as trusts deal with a second spike of COVID-19, staff absences and burnout, and seasonal pressures.

"To truly protect the wellbeing of the NHS workforce, we must see even higher numbers joining the workforce to build flexibility into the system. This will help the NHS respond to the crisis caused by the pandemic, and help ensure realistic workloads, more regular and reliable breaks and a better work life balance for staff."