Record numbers of nurses are leaving Britain to work abroad, according to new statistics from the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

The figures also show that show a rise of almost 20 per cent rise in the number of foreign employers making checks on UK-based applicants, taking the inquiry rate to a 10-year high.

Forum Response: Royal College of Nursing

A spokeswoman for the Royal College of Nursing told ePolitix.com: "It is vital that Britain keeps recruiting nurses because of the increased mobility of the workforce and the fact that 25 per cent of nurses are aged 50 or more and will retire in the next 10 years.

"We are delighted by more registrations. But we also know that nurses are going out the back door and are not necessarily staying in this country to work because of problems with insufficient pay and accommodation."