600 doctors are urgently needed in clinics and hospitals throughout the Canaries and the shortfall will probably have to be made up using foreigners.

The figures were discussed on Wednesday during a conference in Tenerife on immigrants and employment.

Cesar Castel, from the recruitment agency Adecco Hman Resources, told delegates that 5 years ago there was a surplus of doctors in the Health Service but the situation had changed dramatically and doctors from Eastern Europe and Latin America would be in great demand for the next 5-6 years.