NHS staff shortages in England could exceed 570,000 by 2036, leaked document warns

NHS England’s workforce plan finds that without a big increase in UK-based training, shortages of all types of healthcare professionals will become increasingly severe. Photograph: Jeff Moore/PA

The NHS in England needs a massive injection of homegrown doctors, nurses, GPs and dentists to avert a recruitment crisis that could leave it short of 571,000 staff, according to an internal document seen by the Guardian.

A long-awaited workforce plan produced by NHS England says the health service is already operating with 154,000 fewer full-time staff than it needs, and that number could balloon to 571,000 staff by 2036 on current trends.