Record one in five NHS staff in England are non-UK nationals, figures show

Figure of 20.4% is highest since records began in 2009, prompting warnings over growing reliance

One in five NHS staff in England are non-UK nationals, according to figures that show the pivotal role foreign workers play in keeping the health service afloat.

Healthcare workers from 214 countries - from India, Portugal and Ghana to tiny nations such as Tonga, Liechtenstein and Solomon Islands - are employed in the NHS. And the proportion of roles filled by non-UK nationals has risen to a record high, according to analysis of NHS Digital figures.