NURSES and midwives have once again warned of the looming recruitment and retention crisis in the profession, with fresh figures showing that the NHS is struggling to attract British workers. 

The warning from the Royal College of Nursing and Royal College of Midwives comes as official stats show the registered number of British-educated nurses and midwives has fallen.

Policymakers have been urged to consider measures such as student loan forgiveness schemes to ensure there are enough home-grown staff.