Health Education England (HEE) published the figure in a report and has drafted a ten year plan for the NHS to cope with increasing pressures - Professor Ian Cumming, the chief executive of HEE, stated that a changing attitude in workers is to blame.

He said: “If you look at the baby boomer generation, they expected to work in a job for 30 or 40 years, to progress and end up in a more senior position.

“When it comes to millennials it is a different picture - wanting to work more flexibly, less than full time, to take career breaks, taking a gap year when they have been working for a few years, and so on.

“They are more likely to change career or to want variety, not to be tied to the same roles.”

The report itself acknowledges that “different generations want different things” and states that the NHS needs to be aware of “wider societal changes”.

It says: “There is a new factor that is affecting retention as we plan for the future. Different generations want different things in their working lives.

“Millennials often want non-linear careers and they see flexible working with career breaks as a right.

“For example, twelve hour shifts once resonated well with employers and employees but increasingly people are now wanting more flexibility.

“Some like twelve hour shifts, some eight hour shifts, and some ‘school run shifts’, all supported by web-based flexible rostering.

“When considering changing expectations we need to be mindful of wider societal changes. We have to find a way to stem the rise in lifestyle related illness to take further pressure off the health service. Prevention must be the first priority.”

The paper also points to people living longer and more “complex health and care needs” as a reason that a workforce demand increase of 14 per cent is required.

It added: “Demand is growing as people live longer with more comorbidities leading to more complex health and care needs. According to “Horizon 2035: health and care workforce futures”, by 2025 unconstrained demand for lower skilled direct care staff is likely to increase by 12 per cent, (around 120,000 more jobs), and an overall workforce demand increase of 14 per cent (190,000 jobs).”

“Skills for Care suggest that need might be as much as a 31 per cent increase or 500,000 jobs by 2030.”

Although the plan dictates that a further 190,000 clinical staff are required unless the NHS changes its operating methods, Professor Cumming acknowledged that the service should take advantage of advancing technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence to increase its productivity.

The report also stated the new developments will “form a key part of the future NHS”.

It went on: “This game changing pace of development in relevant technologies such as genomics, machine learning and artificial intelligence, digitalisation and data analytics, bionanotechnology and robotics means they will form a key part of the future NHS.

“To enable NHS staff to make the most of these opportunities to improve services and help ensure a sustainable NHS, the Secretary of State for Health is commissioning a major independent review, led by Professor Eric Topol and facilitated by HEE.

“This will advise on how technological and other developments (including in genomics, pharmaceutical advances, artificial intelligence, digital and robotics) are likely to change the roles and functions of clinical staff in all professions over the next two decades to ensure safer, more productive, more effective and more personal care for patients.”