GREAT Western Hospital advertised hundreds of nursing roles last year.

The hospital advertised 414 full-time nurse and midwife roles between July 2018 and June this year, according to NHS Digital.

This comes after EU workers returned home last year.

The number, which could include the same role being advertised numerous times, reflects similar increases in other parts of the country.

Director of Royal College of Nursing, Patricia Marquis said: “These alarming figures should have been a wake-up call but instead we are still lacking a comprehensive workforce strategy that addresses the reasons nursing staff are leaving, whether that’s inflexible working or intolerable working conditions.

“The nursing shortage needs short and long-term solutions, including immediate investment of £1 billion annually in nursing supply.”

Data shows 1,239 full-time nurses, health visitors and midwives were taken on in May. This number is 31 per cent of all workers at the GWH.