NHS bosses have been accused of adding to a developing world "skills drain" in nursing by the World Health Organisation.

Its findings were backed by the Royal College of Nursing which said some developed countries were targeting countries which were struggling to find nurses for their own health systems.

In the UK, health service managers have radically increased the number of nurses recruited from overseas countries in Asia and Africa.

Overall, the number has been boosted by 48% over the last year.

The WHO report says that low pay, poor working conditions and uncertain career prospects were driving away nurses and midwives from developing countries.

'Future jeopardised'

"If the world's public health community does not correct this trend, the ability of many health systems to function will be seriously jeopardised," it says.

Josie Irwin, of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "The UK and other countries are sustaining their nursing workforces by overseas recruitment from a depleted pool of nurses and midwives globally.

"Despite guidance from the Department of Health saying trusts should not target recruitment drives at countries with their own nursing shortages such as South Africa, some employers continue to recruit from those countries.

"We want to see better enforcement of the guidance."

The WHO report gives examples of health services placed under pressure by nursing shortages.

In Zambia, the health service needs 1,500 nurses but can only find 500, while in Chile, only 8,000 of the 18,000 qualified nurses in the country are actually working there.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "Until we have enough nurses in the NHS we will support a policy of responsible recruitment from abroad.

"Key criteria are the support of the host government and a nursing surplus in the country concerned.

"We have recently met the governments of China and the Phillipines to discuss nurse recruitment. They are keen for their nurses to experience working in the NHS, because of the benefits this will bring their own healthcare system."