THE NHS in Gwent employs close to 6,000 nurses - and it is a workforce whose global reach is playing a vital role in helping an expanding service keep pace with the needs of patients.

Twenty-two Spanish nurses arrived at the weekend to take up posts at Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital, the latest overseas recruits to work alongside more locally-trained staff.

And these imports are unlikely to be the last. An agreement between the Spanish government and the Assembly is enabling NHS trusts to recruit in Spain, where there are not enough jobs for its newly qualified nurses.

Spain, the Phillippines and Ireland are among the countries where Gwent has sought in recent years to recruit, and Gwent Healthcare Trust has a reputation for looking after its overseas staff.

Raquel Ruasa has worked in the Medical Admissions Unit at Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital for two years after swapping the Philippines for the city.

That was the 33-year-old staff nurse's first trip abroad, but she says her only disappointment so far has been a lack of a white Christmas!

"It was a chance for me to enhance my professional experience by working in a different country with a different healthcare system," she said.

Like most of her predecessors, she is on a four-year contract, but hopes to stay on "if they want me".

"I had no idea what the country would look like, and whether I would be able to adapt to the culture. I was apprehensive, but it has been a very positive experience."

"Gwent does very well in supporting its staff. It has an excellent induction programme, not only for professional but also cultural issues," said Royal College of Nursing Wales professional officer Stephen Moore.

"Experienced staff spend time with newcomers helping them settle in and it pays dividends because not only have a lot of people stayed over here, but their families have stayed too."

Nursing vacancies in Gwent have remained around the 150 mark for several months, and though that might seem a lot, it is the lowest rate for several years.

It has not been uncommon in recent times for there to be more than 200 vacancies.

Longstanding recruitment problems across the NHS have been relatively low rates of pay compared with the private sector, the lure of attractive foreign countries like New Zealand and Australia for skilled nurses and, previously, low morale.

The recent reduction is down to more successful recruitment and retention of homegrown as well as overseas nurses, improved flexibility in working hours and conditions.

Though the numbers of would-be nurses going into training in the United Kingdom has increased, the amount of newly-qualified nurses still is not enough to satisfy an expanding NHS.

Gwent Healthcare Trust is the area's biggest employer, with more than 10,000 posts occupied by more than 13,000 full and part-time staff. This is an increase of around 2,000 staff in barely three years, an indication of why it is likely that more overseas nurses will be heading this way before long.