Army of international nurses recruited for hospital wards

The trust that runs Furness General Hospital in Barrow has recruited more than 60 new nurses from across the globe following a campaign earlier this year.

Now, 35 qualified nurses from across Asia are ready to start in their new roles this summer once they have been validated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

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A further 35 are expected to relocate to south Cumbria from India this autumn to begin new posts at FGH as well as Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

The move towards higher staffing levels in the face of unprecedented levels of debt have been praised by hospital bosses.

Sue Smith, executive chief nurse at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, said: "This is really good news. It's absolutely fantastic.

"We also have people coming from all over the country who want to work here which is an indication of the reputation we are getting externally."

A nurse from Singapore has already begun working on Ward 6 at FGH after being offered a permanent post some months ago.

The trust has now confirmed that help will be provided to the international nurses to help them settle into life in a new country.

The new wave of staff are in addition to the recruitment of 17 new midwives who will fill vacant posts across the trust, including those at the maternity unit at FGH.

David Wilkinson, director of workforce at the trust, said: "We have appointed 17 midwives who are due to start at various times around September.

"We have just four vacancies across the trust for midwifery now."

UHMBT have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on international recruitment campaigns to draw in qualified staff from countries such as Spain, Greece and Cyprus.

The decision to seek out nurses from abroad was taken because of a national shortage of qualified nurses in the UK.