Thousands of retired healthcare workers have signed up to help fight coronavirus, but Health Secretary Matt Hancock has stressed that many more are needed.

In just 48 hours, 4,000 nurses and 500 doctors answered the call to return to work, Mr Hancock said.

Your NHS Needs You

The Government had issued a rallying cry for tens of thousands of retired doctors and nurses, telling them: “Your NHS Needs You.”

On Saturday night, Mr Hancock tweeted: “Delighted that 4,000 nurses and 500 doctors have signed up to return to the NHS in the first 48 hours of our call.”

He said it was “brilliant support in our national effort” to tackle the virus.

In a video accompanying the post, he added: “But we need many more. It’s easy to do, and we will make sure that your service is put to best effect.

“The whole country needs the NHS right now and if you’re a retired doctor or a retired nurse then your NHS needs you.”

NHS Army

The NHS has said that on top of retirees, it was also offering temporary work to final-year medical students and student nurses.

Those who join the “NHS Army” will be assessed to see what kind of help they could offer in the service’s battle against the pandemic.

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