HOSPITAL recruiters are now travelling further across the globe in a bid to bring more registered nurses to the area.

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The trust that runs Furness General Hospital, in Barrow, is battling against a national shortage of qualified staff for its wards and operating theatres.

Now, recruitment firms working on behalf of the Dalton Lane hospital are increasing their global reach - with India the latest country in their sights.

Some 40 nurses from India are set to be interviewed to find the best candidates for positions within hospitals run by the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay.

Their qualifications will be checked while they await UK registration from the Nursing and Midwifery Council - the regulatory body for nurses and midwives in the UK.


Sue Smith, executive chief nurse at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.  Speaking at a board meeting, UHMBT executive chief nurse Sue Smith, said: "The first recruits coming from Singapore are set to start in March which is really positive.

"They have a lot of experience.

"We also have another four people in March who are returning to practice."

Recruiters have already secured the employment of four experienced nurses from Singapore who have most recently been working in Dubai.

A scheme to attract former nurses back into the profession has also shown some initial success with four set to renew their registration with the NMC and eight more said to be interested.

In December, recruitment campaigns had resulted in an extra 187 nurses working within FGH, Westmorland General Hospital and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary compared to the previous year.

Experts predict the national shortage of qualified nurses is only set to get worse, however, following a controversial government decision to end the bursary for trainee nurses in the UK.

Figures released last month also show the number of times the government has refused to issue a visa for international nurses arriving in the UK to work within Barrow's hospital.

Over the past two years, a string of international medical recruitment firms have been commissioned by UHMBT to employ nurses from countries including Spain, Greece and Cyprus.

In June the Evening Mail revealed hospital bosses had been forced to hand over £233,000 of NHS funds to specialist international recruitment firms in a bid to boost staff numbers.

The organisation spent £176,000 during the 2014/15 financial year, including £80,000 with HCL Permanent, £46,000 with Remedium, £32,000 with Jayne Lewis Healthcare International Recruitment and £18,000 with Medacs. 

The previous year, £57,000 was spent with HCL Permanent.