HEALTH officials have once again been forced to go overseas in a bid to find more nursing staff.

Two members of South Bucks NHS Trust have visited Singapore and the Philippines in an effort to recruit 40 trained nurses to start later this year.

Keith Broadey, director of human resources, at South Buckinghamshire NHS Trust, told a board meeting on Wednesday: "I understand they are working well out there and are on target to recruit 40 staff to come in July or October."

Nigel Davies, deputy nursing director and Claire Howell, personnel adviser, went on the two-week trip, jointly funded by the trust and an organisation called Worldwide Healthcare, and are due to return today.

When asked how clear a grasp the nurses would have of the English language, Mr Broadey said: "Those we recruit will speak English well. I don't expect them to have a language qualification but they will certainly speak English well as part of their assessment for recruitment."

The trust has faced major difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff and the high cost of living in the area has been blamed as one of the reasons why it has proved difficult to keep nurses.

Staff shortages have also forced the trust to recruit in other parts of the UK and they have recently undertaken a recruitment drive in Glasgow.

Last year trust staff travelled to Canada and Trinidad in a bid to find new staff and in 1998 nurses were recruited from New Zealand and Australia to provide care at Wycombe and Amersham Hospitals.