The government's Graduate Guarantee will ensure thousands of new posts are easier to access by removing barriers for trusts, creating a wealth of opportunities for graduates and ensuring a seamless transition from training to employment. 

NHS providers will begin recruiting newly-qualified nurses and midwives before vacancies formally arise, with trusts supported to employ staff based on projected need rather than headcount, ensuring the NHS has the right number of staff to provide the best possible care to patients everywhere.

Additionally, every newly-qualified nurse and midwife will receive the backing they need to succeed in their first role, which includes an online hub with important information and advice for those applying for roles.

Vacant maternity support worker posts will be temporarily converted to Band 5 midwifery roles, backed by £8m to create new opportunities specifically for newly qualified midwives and further ease the recruitment strain. 

Secretary of state for health and social care, Wes Streeting, said: ‘It is absurd that we are training thousands of nurses and midwives every year, only to leave them without a job before their career has started. No one who dedicates themselves to a nursing or midwifery career should be left in limbo, when their skills are so urgently needed in the effort to rebuild our NHS.

‘I am sending a clear message to every newly qualified nurse and midwife. We're here to support you from day one so you can provide the best care for patients and cut waiting lists. This new guarantee will benefit nurses, midwives and patients, helping to build an NHS fit for the future as part of our Plan for Change.'

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Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, said: ‘It's good that an important staff concern is being addressed, with better opportunities and support for newly qualified nurses and midwives. But – and it's a very big ‘but' – it's not clear how this will be fully funded, nor what it could mean for other staff groups facing similar challenges.

Trust budgets are already under enormous pressure. There is no spare money. Any further unfunded measures risk eating into frontline services.

‘We look forward to clarification so we can be sure this positive step does not have damaging repercussions.'

Chief nursing officer for England, Duncan Burton, said: ‘Every nurse and midwife deserves the guarantee of a job to apply for when they graduate, so we're unlocking more opportunities right across health and care and providing refreshed online advice and support with applications to help ensure a smooth transition into employment.

‘We have more nurses and midwives than ever before choosing to stay working in the NHS, which is fantastic for patients, but we must ensure our newest graduates get the same opportunity to put their skills and passion to use without frustrating delays.'

Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive, Professor Nicola Ranger, said: ‘Our student members have led the way in calling for ministers and healthcare leaders to provide certainty and clarity on jobs. Today's announcement is welcome news that should provide hope to students as they come towards the end of their education and training.

‘When the health service urgently needs nursing staff, it was absurd to leave people in limbo. The test of this will be if students can find jobs, vacant posts are filled, and patients receive the care they deserve.'

Gill Walton, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: ‘We're pleased that the Government has listened to the voices of student midwives who are desperate to start their career, only to find those opportunities blocked. I know today's announcement will come as a relief to so many of the RCM's student midwife members.

‘These are people, mainly women, who have worked incredibly hard to complete their degree and are trained and ready to support our current midwifery workforce at a time when so many maternity services are under pressure. Ensuring we have the right midwifery staff, in the right places, at the right time with the right education and training has never been so crucial as services are striving to improve safety.'

Paul Rees, chief executive and registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, said: 'A guaranteed opportunity for a role after years of hard work in education is excellent news for future nursing and midwifery graduates. It means highly trained professionals can move into roles more quickly, utilising their skills and knowledge for the benefit of patients and communities.

‘This is critically important at a time of rising demand for health and social care. We will continue working to place all new graduates on our register quickly and safely, so they can begin their roles at the earliest opportunity.'

Unison head of health, Helga Pile, said: ‘Nursing and midwifery graduates deserve a clear path into NHS jobs. But creating more vacancies for them by removing posts for support workers won't address the overall staffing gaps hampering quality care. Reducing opportunities for people to come into clinical support roles is counter-productive too.

‘Ministers must also deal with a similar lack of opportunities for new graduates in occupational therapy, as well as paramedics and other healthcare professions. These are just as vital to patient care. Many of these problems have been caused by blanket recruitment freezes. Trusts haven't been able to take on staff as they attempt to comply with ministers' orders to cut budget deficits built up through years of underfunding. Trusts need proper backing if this pledge is to work.

‘It's encouraging to see that ministers appreciate how crucial newly-qualified staff are to the future of the NHS and care services. But the government's forthcoming 10-year Workforce plan must set out a more sustainable approach to planning across the higher education, health and care systems.'