The Department of Health has conceded that teams of foreign doctors and nurses are needed to perform thousands of operations if the government is to meet its ambitious targets for cutting NHS waiting times.

The government has instructed hospitals to sign contracts with European clinics and agencies to send their surplus clinical teams to the UK.

Forum Response: Nursing and Midwifery Council

A spokesman for the Nursing and Midwifery Council told ePolitix.com: "The government's recognition that there is a need for assistance from overseas is certainly borne out by the numbers of foreign nurses who are applying to get on the UK's professional register."