AS PART of an effort to turn the fortunes of Worcestershire’s hospitals around, recruitment of doctors, nurses and other medical staff is to be overhauled.

The board of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust discussed concerns around the impact of problems with recruitment and retention of clinical staff at a meeting on Wednesday, June 24.

The trust, which runs Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Kidderminster Hospital and Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital, has been forced to rely on increasing numbers of expensive temporary staff, with almost 12 per cent of its total pay bill in May, more than £3 million, going to agency staff – the highest amount in its history.

The organisation’s director of human resources Denise Harnin said it was particularly important the amount of time between advertising, interviewing, recruiting and new staff starting was as short as possible.

“If this process is too prolonged and other organisations are looking for the same staff they will get snapped up,” she said.

“There is work that we can do there to reduce inefficiencies in what is a very competitive sector.”

She added uncertainty around the future of hospital services in the county, with continued delays to the log-running project reorganising hospital care, which was originally due to be complete by the end of last year, may have an impact on the trust’s ability both to recruit new staff and retain existing employees.

“We are aware that anecdotally there is uncertainty around the urgent care system,” she said. “This will undoubtedly put questions in people’s minds.

“There sooner we can provide clarity there the better.”

But she said there was no evidence issues such as the high-profile resignation of five A&E consultants in February and a recent critical Care Quality Commission report had damaged the trust’s reputation and prospective staff were being deterred from applying for vacancies as a result.

The consultants – four from the Alex and another from the Royal – all handed in their resignations on the same day in February. The next month an open letter penned by the four from the Alex was made public, in which they accused the trust’s management of “undermining” services at the hospital.

Non-executive director at the trust Bryan McGinity said he believed the organisation should take greater advantage of the attractiveness of Worcestershire as a place to live and work.

“I don’t think we sell Worcestershire enough,” he said. “People would like to come and live here. It’s a great place.”

For more information on vacancies at Worcestershire’s hospitals call 01905 763 333 or visit www.worcsacute.nhs.uk.