A hospital trust says it will still be able to recruit and keep its staff despite fears from campaigners over the governments post-Brexit immigration policy.

Doctors and nurses can still be recruited via the ‘tier 2’ visa system which is designed to help recruit to occupations where there is no known staff shortage.

West Herts Hospital Trust has said it will continue to accept applications from non-UK citizens via using a visa system and will even pay for its staff to apply for 'settled status'.

This status will allow EU citizens who have lived in the UK for five or more years and their families to stay in the UK for as long as they would like.

A trust spokesperson said: “We continue to welcome applications from around the world to join our staff at Watford.

“Our workforce is very diverse, and we have just held festive celebrations for colleagues who are spending their first Christmas away from home.

“We currently recruit overseas staff to nursing and medical posts using a special visa called a ‘tier 2’. We are not aware that this is about to end and so will keep calm and carry on recruiting!

“Our commitment to our own EU staff is underlined by our recent announcement that we are paying the application fee for settlement status for substantive staff from EU countries.

“Settled status will allow EU staff to continue to live and work here after 31 December 2020.

“We employ over 530 members of staff who are EU citizens.

“They make up 11 per cent of our workforce and they contribute their skills and expertise as nurses, midwives, doctors and allied health professionals to care for our patients.

“They also provide valuable support in non-clinical areas too.”