Recruitment campaigns for Queen Elizabeth Hospital ‘going well’

King's Lynn’s hospital is on the way to filling more than 150 vacancies after a series of recruitment campaigns.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has been running international, national and local campaigns.

This was after 158 vacancies had been available from the end of March.

After announcing 81 nurses will be joining the hospital from the Philippines earlier this month, it has been announced the new intakes will be starting before Christmas.

This also includes a further 26 international nurses who have been recruited since January.

Caroline Shaw, chief executive of the hospital said the recruitment campaign has been encouraging.

She said: “Our nursing recruitment team was incredibly impressed with the high standards they have witnessed during the interview process.

“At this hospital, we know we are better together as we strive to make the changes which will improve care, improve outcomes and improve lives”.

A team from the hospital headed out to the Philippines at the end of March to meet the nurses.

Acting chief nurse Val Newton, recruitment and retention Sister Debbie Frost, clinical educator Marentia De Villiers and lead nurse Merwyn Agcaoii ,all travelled to Southeast Asia.

Miss Newton said: “We are absolutely delighted and thrilled that the diverse international nurse community in the QEH is being expanded to care for the people of West Norfolk.”

The nurses will join the hospital’s medical and surgical wards.

Mrs Shaw added: “We are really excited to be welcoming 81 experienced and compassionate nurses to the QEH before Christmas.

“This influx of new nurses is not only going to make a difference to the lives of our patients but also our staff and the hospital’s financial position as we reduce our agency staff bill”.

Agency workers are a widely used resource across the NHS, despite the fact they can be expensive.

Regulations mean agency workers within the United Kingdom receive equal treatment which is the same as NHS recruited staff having been employed for 12 weeks.

All agency workers are therefore entitled to the same pay, holidays and working time.

The QEH is continuing its Grow Your Own strategy by developing existing staff as well as working closely with the College of West Anglia.