Health workers from West Sussex have headed out to India as part of a recruitment drive to beat a shortage of nurses.

Two West Sussex Health and Social Care NHS Trust workers, Tracie Huthart, human resources manager, and David Howell, a manager for mental health services for older people, flew out yesterday morning.

Their aim is to encourage up to 20 nurses qualified in mental health care to come to work in Britain's NHS mental health, learning disability and substance misuse services.

While in India, the team will conduct interviews in New Delhi and Bangalore and carry out a full selection and assessment process.

Mr Howell said: "It will be the first time we have been to India to recruit staff. One of the previous organisations did a similar thing in Ghana and brought about 15 members of staff back. They are all still with us and are an excellent bunch.

"There is a distinct lack of nurses nationwide. West Sussex has particular difficulties in recruiting because it is so diverse. There are areas of deprivation, combined with those that are thriving."

The trip has been planned with the full permission from the Indian government.

The recruitment teams are only going to places where there is a surplus of doctors and nurses.

England has had a long-standing relationship with India and Indian doctors and nurses often travel to England for employment opportunities.

Andrew Kelly, executive director of human resources, said: "It is not always easy to recruit nurses and other specialist staff in the UK and we must appreciate we now operate in a global marketplace. So we are taking this important step as part of a national initiative."

It is hoped the nurses recruited during the visit will be able to start work in West Sussex by April 2003.

They will go through a fully supervised adaptation programme to help them settle in effectively.