This week a local MP has been welcoming international nurses into a Cumbrian hospital.

Trudy Harrison has been at West Cumberland Hospital to welcome to new recruits.

Trudy was invited to meet Kelechi Glory Chukwuemeka and Oluwatoyin Olawumi Adefisan, from Nigeria, and Binju Raju, from India; part of the 20-strong international cohort who have joined the nursing staff in recent months.

Mrs Harrison said: "It was a pleasure to meet Kelechi, Oluwatoyin and Binju and it was wonderful to hear that they have received such a warm welcome to the hospital and to the area.

"They have decided to leave Nigeria and India to come halfway across the world to further their careers and to provide for their families and I am full of admiration for their bravery and determination.

"It is also an excellent advert for the West Cumberland Hospital that it can attract international nurses of this calibre to come and work here and help provide a service we desperately need."

They shared with Trudy their experiences of nursing in Nigeria and India respectively and compared it to their role here, as well as discussing their plans for the future.

The NHS in Cumbria has a successful programme of international recruitment and there are hopes that 30 more nurses will arrive from overseas by the end of the year.

Christine Musgrave, Matron, said: “We’re extremely proud of our international recruits, they have settled really well into the Trust and are now valuable members of the team here at the West Cumberland Hospital."