The government passed legislation in July which requires striking workers in key sectors such as rail and fire services to provide minimum levels of service during industrial action, but this did not include hospital staff.

Junior doctors have staged 19 days of strikes so far this year, while consultants have walked out on four, resulting in tens of thousands of cancelled appointments in the National Health Service.

By 2031, the NHS aims to double medical school training places to 15,000, increase by 50% the number of doctor training places and nearly double the number of adult nurse training places.

Britain has long hired from abroad to staff its state-run National Health Service, and its vote to leave the European Union in 2016 meant the number of EU staff has dropped sharply in recent years.

The National Health Service has been hit by waves of strikes in recent months as soaring inflation eats into wages and pandemic backlogs coupled with staff shortages increase workloads.

One union said more than 10,000 ambulance workers across England and Wales had voted in favour of industrial action, while other trade unions also said their ambulance service members had backed walkouts.

The NHS Confederation says it is concerned that 'fuel poverty', in the absence of further government support, would cause more deaths associated with cold homes, which are currently estimated at around 10,000 a year.

Lawyers cite concerns over the government's due diligence in light of forced labour allegations.

The World War II veteran of India and Indonesia raised millions for the British National Health Service.

The victim said the man stuck a 'dart-like implement' in her arm.