MEDICS around Britain will be able to volunteer to help the UK Government's humanitarian emergency response to disasters overseas under a new arrangement announced by Justine Greening, the International Development Secretary.

Doctors, nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists and other staff will be able to pre-register on the UK's International Emergency Trauma Register to show their availability to deploy rapidly to the scene of emergencies such as tsunamis and earthquakes.

It is hoped more than 400 medical staff will be registered and trained by 2014, Ms Greening said on the anniversary of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.