A SCHEME which will see EU nurses apply for 'settled status' early to ease nursing shortage Brexit fears is to be trialled by a hospital trust.

East Lancashire Hospitals Trust (ELHT) will trial the new application process for the EU Settlement Scheme.

It will see EU citizens at the the trust take part in a private managed live trial enabling them to make real applications for settled status.

This will be done through the new digital process which is due to be rolled out at the end of this year.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust will also take part in the trial.

It comes as uncertainties and nervousness around Brexit has seen the number of EU workers joining the NHS in East Lancashire fall since Brexit.

Data from the BBC shared data unit shows just seven people have joined East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) since the decision to leave the EU, which compares to 28 in 2014/15 and 29 in 2015/16.

News of the trial has been welcomed by the country's main nursing union Royal College of Nursing.

Regional director for the RCN North West, Estephanie Dunn said it would provide nurses with the ability to plan their futures earlier.

She said: “Uncertainties and nervousness around Brexit has seen EU nurses leaving the NHS in their droves.

"Whilst this is just one of the contributing factors to staffing shortages in our NHS trusts, it is one that is placing significant and unprecedented pressure on already stretched services.

“EU nurses contribute significantly to the regions health and social care and bring with them a huge range of skills, expertise and knowledge.

"The risk of losing this workforce would be devastating.

"We therefore welcome the opportunity to get this process moving in our region at the earliest opportunity as providing these nurses the ability to plan their futures cannot be underestimated as a mechanism to stem the flow of EU nurses from the UK."

In a statement issued, the Home Office said that the initial pilot phase will be accessible by invite only.

Up to 4,000 applicants will be able to apply on a voluntary basis.

Assuming they are eligible, all those who go through the process will be granted settled status.

Immigration minister Caroline Nokes said: The EU Settlement Scheme will make it easy for EU citizens to get the status they need, and when it is launched they will only need to complete three key steps - prove their identity, show that that they live in the UK, and declare any criminal convictions.

"We are inviting a small group of EU citizens to make an application to help us ensure the system will be ready when the rollout begins later this year."

Christine Pearson, director of nursing at ELHT,said: “The Trust recognises the value of the skills and diversity that our European and overseas staff bring to the Trust.

“We will be working closely with the Home Office and NHS Improvement on the programme.”

The private pilot will begin on August 28.