The arrival of nurses from the Philippines is one strand in a comprehensive recruitment package designed to boost nursing staffing levels

Leeds Teaching Hospital

A Leeds Teaching Hospitals spokesman said: "In common with most other trusts up and down the country, we have a serious nursing shortage.

"The arrival of nurses from the Philippines is one strand in a comprehensive recruitment package designed to boost nursing staffing levels."

Health chiefs from Leeds flew to Asia last month to interview the nurses.

Those who have been offered jobs are highly-trained bilingual university graduates who have at least two years' practical experience.

The spokesman said the Leeds trust had also launched a new nurse cadet scheme to start in September and will open up nursing opportunities to school leavers.

Yorkshire Unison health spokeswoman Sheila Robinson said the union welcomed the steps the trust had taken to fill the gaps in the service provision by bringing in professionals from abroad.

"However, the broader issue of recruitment and retention problems in the NHS remains," she added.

Estimates suggest that there are up to 3,600 nurses and midwives from countries including the Philippines, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Finland and the Third World working in British hospitals.

Ministers claim thousands of nurses have been attracted back to the profession as a result of family friendly policies. They have also sanctioned significant pay rises for all grades over the last two years.

However, nursing unions have warned that thousands of posts are still unfilled.