New GPs will be offered a £10,000 'golden hello' to help beat a long-standing shortage of doctors in Worthing.

The town was left out of a Government list of areas to benefit from the payout scheme.

But the new Adur, Arun and Worthing Primary Care Trust (PCT), responsible for the area's GP services, has said it will underwrite the cost.

The Department of Health last year said almost all parts of Sussex were eligible for the payouts but Worthing, which has a problem recruiting and retaining doctors, missed out by a tiny margin.

The town was said to have slightly too many GPs per head of population.

The old Worthing Primary Care Group (PCG) queried the result, saying the calculations were based on out-of-date figures.

New figures will be released during the next four months and this time Worthing is expected to qualify.

Until then, the PCT has agreed to make the payouts to any new GPs moving into the area so doctors are encouraged to come forward.

West Worthing MP Peter Bottomley and East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton have both highlighted the town's problems in the House of Commons.

Mr Loughton said GPs in Worthing were under so much pressure they were "ready to snap" unless they got more help.