THE decline in EU workers joining the NHS has continued this year, new figures show.

Numbers joining from the EU as Brexit looms has nosedived — down 89 per cent from 10,178 last year to 1,107 this year — according to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Last month the Lancashire Telegraph reported that just seven EU workers had joined East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) since the Brexit vote, compared to 28 in 2014/15 and 29 in 2015/16.

The figures were even more stark for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which had seen the number of workers joining it drop from 93 in 2014/15, to 50 in 2015/16 and then 29 in 2016/17.

The number of EU workers joining Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, has remained stagnant with 13 in 2014/15 and 2016/17, although it went up slightly to 19 in 2015/16.

EU workers currently make up 5 per cent of the NMC's register.

Jackie Smith, chief executive and registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, said: "It's worrying that we are seeing a continuing rise in nurses and midwives leaving the register and our data is clear that this is being driven by both UK and EU registrants.

"These figures continue to highlight the major challenges faced by the UK's health and care sectors around the recruitment and retention of staff.

"Nurses and midwives work incredibly hard in very difficult circumstances. Those responsible for workforce matters will no doubt respond to what these trends are showing."

The Department of Health pointed to figures showing that 357 more nurses are on wards this year compared to last year and a further 52,000 are in training.

Russ McLean, East Lancashire's patient champion, told the Lancashire Telegraph last month that the decline was down to uncertainty over Brexit.

He said: "These figures are a direct result of the uncertainty to the status of EU nationals caused by the vote to leave the EU and over the government's own dithering on what their status will be.

"It is exacerbating an already grave recruitment and staff situation with a shortage of nurses and doctors across the board."

Christine Pearson, director of nursing for ELHT said the trust 'actively recruits' nurses locally and internationally to ensure they maintain safe staffing levels on all its wards.

She said: “We see a great benefit in the wealth of experience and the diversity that our staff from overseas bring to the Trust and to our patients.

"The nurses we employ undergo numerous assessments, including English language and are registered with the nursing and midwifery council.

"This ensures that they can provide safe, personal and effective care for our patients and we aim to continue to do this.”

Karen Swindley, workforce director at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals said they have a broad and comprehensive recruitment and retention strategy, which includes an international recruitment programme.

She said: “We have a long-standing relationship with a number of universities in Italy, and Italian nurses, continue to express interest in working in our hospitals. We also recruit staff from outside the EU."

Lancashire Care said it 'values' its staff and recognises that recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce is key to providing a quality services to its patients.

A Department for Health spokesman said: "These figures represent a mere 0.2 per cent decrease in the 689, 738 nurses and midwives currently registered with the NMC and there are in fact more nurses on our wards since last year.

"We are fully committed to supporting hardworking NHS staff through helping them to balance work-life commitments and we are also ensuring the NHS has the staff it needs for the future through our 25% increase in nurse training places – the biggest in the history of the NHS."