Almost 1,000 places to study nursing at university have not been filled, new figures indicate.

According to data from UCAS, the universities admissions body, 3,850 students have been accepted onto courses for nursing for the coming term.

However, it is short of the intake recommended by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) of 4,837 students.

The shortage comes despite official figures showing that as of March this year, the NHS had more than 6,200 vacancies.

Eileen McKenna, associate director for nursing, policy and professional practice at RCN Scotland, called on ministers to act to ensure that nursing is seen as an “attractive and rewarding” career.

Nurses in Scotland are already set to be balloted for industrial action by the RCN after a 5% pay offer from the Scottish Government was rejected.

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