HOSPITAL chiefs have spent an extra £1m to recruit 70 additional nurses posts to Worcester Royal Infirmary.

The move to strengthen nursing numbers comes on top of a recruitment drive that includes a trip to the Philippines this weekend, where a senior nurse and personal officer will interview 50 nurses over a five-day period.

More than 100 nurses from across the country attended an open day at the Education Centre at Ronkswood Hospital last Friday, and 20 have been offered jobs so far.

In addition 16 intensive care posts have also been filled at the WRI, with a further 20 nurses being recruited at Redditch's Alexandra Hospital in time for winter.

"In the past two months, the Trust has put in over £1m to create 70 additional nursing jobs," said a spokeswoman for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

"These are in areas where we felt we could strengthen the nursing complement, not because of a shortage of nurses."

The Trust spokeswoman said nurses were being recruited from the Philippines because they have the same standards as British nurses.

"We're really pleased so many nurses want to come to Worcestershire," said Kath Plain, director of nursing for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Worcestershire Health Authority is revamping health services.

There will be centres of excellence for urology and orthopaedics at the Alexandra Hospital, as well as a county centre of vascular surgery at Worcester's new £91m PFI hospital, which is due to open in 2002.