Hospital managers are hunting for desperately-needed doctors on the continent.

The NHS Northern and Yorkshire office is flying hospital managers to Germany to be the first ever to take part in an international recruitment fair.

Trusts to be represented include Airedale NHS Trust, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust.

The region was chosen to take part in the national pilot scheme because it has the largest numbers of consultant vacancies in England.

Advertisements for hospital consultants have already appeared in the German medical press.

Dr Peter Royle, of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust who is heading the campaign, said: "We will be acting a bit like a dating agency by trying to match up German consultants who are keen to experience working abroad with a Trust which needs their skills."

Germany was targeted because it has a surplus of consultants after nationalising its health service. Local Primary Care Trusts are also considering recruiting GPs.