Official data suggests New South Wales is facing a severe shortage of nursing staff.

The state's pool of about 70,000 full-time staff will be unable to meet patient demand in coming years, according to modelling released via a Freedom of Information (FOI) application by the ABC.

By 2030, NSW will reportedly need 82,000 full-time registered nurses, but only 74,000 will be available.

The situation is particularly dire when it comes to enrolled nurses; the less-qualified but vital workers who provide one-on-one care.

The state needs to find about 2,000 full-time enrolled nurses this year, with the shortage only predicted to grow.

The modelling suggests the current workforce of 9,000 full-time staff will drop to 7,500 by 2030, at which time demand will hit around 13,000.

In south-west the documents reportedly describe the shortfall as “catastrophic”, with only a quarter of the required nurses available by 2030.

The authorities predict a “major” shortfall of enrolled nurses for Sydney, rural NSW, the Mid-North Coast and the entire Metro NSW public sector as well.

The NSW opposition says Premier Gladys Berejiklian should boost spending for TAFE and skills training of student nurses.

But Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the NSW nursing workforce is growing, and that new policies currently in place will go a long way to mitigating the crisis.