NHS vacancies in England at ‘staggering’ new high as almost 10% of posts empty

Paramedics at the Royal London hospital. London has 30,506 vacancies across the acute, ambulance, community, mental health and specialist care sectors. Photograph: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images

The number of posts lying vacant across the NHS in England has reached a “staggering” record high of 132,139 – almost 10% of its planned workforce.

The number at the end of June was up sharply from three months earlier when there were 105,855 vacancies, quarterly personnel figures show.