There are double the number of vacant nursing posts in London than government figures suggest, according to the pressure group London Health Emergency (LHE).

The organisation says figures leaked to it show the 30 acute hospital NHS trusts across the capital have 5,335 vacancies between them.

This makes the average shortfall 13.5 per cent compared with six per cent quoted by the government.

LHE's John Lister said: "A major crisis is growing in some specialised groups - notably among midwives, where shortages are rampant."

The Department of Health said it uses three-month vacancy rates as they tend to give a better overall picture.

A spokeswoman said in March the vacancy rate had fallen and was six per cent compared with 7.4 per cent in the same month two years ago.

"There are now over 28,000 more nurses working in the NHS than there were three years ago," she said.