A hospital in the region has recruited two anaesthetics staff from Switzerland.
Gateshead's Queen Elizabeth Hospital has recruited Lisa Churchill and Wouter de Kroon, from Lugano Hospital.
The staff, thought to be among the first anaesthesia practitioners in the region, will support consultants and other members of the anaesthetic team.
Project co-ordinator Margaret Scott said: "The Royal College of Anaesthetists has predicted that we will need more support in anaesthetics by 2009 as the European Working Time Directive limits junior doctors' working hours.
"This is about planning ahead to make sure we have the skills we need to meet future demands. Over time, anaesthesia practitioners will become an integral part of the anaesthesia team, freeing consultants to focus their expertise on the most complex cases."
Ms Churchill is from South-East but moved to Switzerland six years ago.
Mr de Kroon is Dutch, and has been working in Switzerland for 11 years.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article