A report from the Cavendish Coalition of 36 health and care charities said the latest vacancy figure was 41,722 but that could jump by as much as 10,000 by 2021.
Report authors looked at trends in the health and social care sector’s workforce, including the role of European nationals working for the NHS.
The authors, from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, also warned waiting times for patients tend to increase in NHS Trusts which are losing more European workers, particularly nurses.
Danny Mortimer, co-convenor of the coalition and chief executive of the NHS Employers organisation said: “These startling figures should be taken extremely seriously by those negotiating our departure from the EU.”
The report calls for an “uncomplicated” immigration process, a review into workforce planning for the health and social care sector and a call for the Home Office to guarantee that its settled status programme for EU nationals will be honoured in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Nigel Edwards, chief executive at the health think tank the Nuffield Trust, added: “This is an extensive and credible report which should trouble everyone who cares about the future of health and care in the UK.
“Our own calculations have shown that with no further net migration or improvements domestically, social care could face a gap of up to 70,000 workers by 2025.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “We greatly value the contribution of nurses to the NHS and we hope those from the EU will take up the early opportunity to secure their future in the UK.
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