HOSPITALS have successfully hired new nurses from abroad while facing increasing difficulty in the UK.

Broomfield Hospital this week revealed it recruited ten nurses from Italy in its latest overseas drive, after health bosses admitted Trusts face UK staff shortages.

The latest round of recruitment, which has seen the hospital hire almost 30 nurses from foreign countries since January, came while Southend and Basildon ran similar campaigns.

On Friday, ten nurses from across ten nations landed in Essex, before starting work at Basildon Hospital, as part of a recruitment drive carried out via Skype.

The nurses, who come from countries such as Romania, Hungary, Croatia and France, arrived as Southend Hospital officials sought 40 nurses from the Philippines.

Yvonne Blucher, chief nurse at Southend Hospital, said: “The nurses we plan to recruit are registered nurses in the Philippines and will be given an in-depth induction, along with support and training to enable them to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in the UK.

“The induction period will help them to adjust to the Trust’s ways of working, along with on-going support in adapt - ing to living and working in the UK.”

A spokesman for Basildon Hospital added: “Like all NHS Trusts we are reliant on over - seas recruitment due to an insufficient number of UK nurses.”