Thousands of nurses were denied permission to work in the UK last year, despite healthcare providers struggling with chronic staffing shortages, according to new figures.

In London, 80 new nurses were prevented from starting work at University College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and 60 at London North West Healthcare NHS Trust.

The figures, obtained by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), show that a total of six London NHS trusts were affected.

The news comes after getwestlondon reported on the nursing vacancy rate of up to 30% in west London hospitals.

The statistics, taken from a Freedom of Information request by the RCN to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), reveal that 2,341 applications by Trusts for Certificate of Sponsorship were refused between April and November 2015.

When an organisation recruits a nurse from outside the European Economic Area they must apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Until November last year, nurses were not on the shortage occupation list (SOL) and as a result the number of certificates was limited.

These figures show the extent of the impact this was having on the number of nurses available to work in the UK.

Nursing has since been temporarily placed on the shortage occupation list.

RCN London Regional Director Bernell Bussue said: “Right across London, health employers are trying to address a shortage of registered nurses, yet the Government’s artificial immigration cap has prevented nurses from coming to work here in our city.

“Our nursing colleagues from overseas have always played a huge role in London’s health service and the government should value and support their work. London needs more nurses.

“Nursing should be kept on the Home Office shortage occupation list so that nursing staff are able to move and settle here in the numbers we need to keep patients safe.”

A spokesperson for London North West Healthcare NHS Trust said: "In common with a lot of trusts in London we rely on nurses from overseas and we were pleased when nurses were added to the Home Office list of shortage occupations."

Thousands of nurses and midwives recently demonstrated in Downing Street against scrapping of bursaries.