Data from the NHS Information Centre has revealed that more than one in 20 medical and dental posts were vacant at the end of March, in some cases for months at a time, according to a report in the Times.
At the same time, thousands of nursing and midwifery posts were also unfilled.
According to the report, the NHS, which has also been criticised recently for its absence management, is under unsustainable pressure amid shortages of doctors, nurses and other clinical staff, medical leaders have warned.
Of the total number of vacant posts, 5,500 jobs had been left unfilled for three months or more, indicating long-term recruitment issues.
