5% more nurses in the capital

Ministers are expected to announce today that the number of nurses working for the NHS in London is up by five per cent.

Health Minister Alan Milburn, visiting St Bartholomew's hospital in the City today, will say there are now 2,500 more nurses working in the capital compared to November last year, for a total of 57,100. The increase is believed to be the biggest in the country and comes after millions of pounds have been spent on recruitment campaigns.

A Department of Health source put the improvement down to the fact that it was now easier for qualified nurses to return to the NHS, and to better training opportunities.

An Evening Standard investigation found in October that there were still more than 4,000 unfilled nursing posts in the capital.