MORE nurses will be recruited from abroad to help solve the staffing crisis in the local health service.

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust which covers Bury, agreed this week to bring in 100 nurses from the Phillopines and India to cover the vacancies across the five sites, which includes Fairfield General Hospital, governed by the trust.

Fairfield Hospital has already recruited a small number of doctors from Spain and nurses from Asia.

But health bosses estimate that without international recruitment, the staffing crisis cannot be resolved until late next year because of changes in nurse training.

Nurses brought in, around 70 from the Phillippines and 30 from India, will undergo a six month programme of assessment, support and mentorship before they are registered.

Recruitment costs are estimated to be £1,000 per nurse plus flight and accommodation costs.

But in her report to the trust board, Denise Houghton, director of nursing said: "This paper has identified the trust's current position with regard to nurse vacancies and a potential solution, taking account of all the challenges associated with international recruitment.

"Balancing the costs, it is recommended that a contract is initiated early with a planned introduction time frame of March 2003."