New Cross Hospital: Wolverhampton trust sees improvement in nurses shortage
More nurses have been recruited and retained at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust compared to 12 months before, it has emerged.
The Trust remains understaffed but has succeeded in reducing the number of vacancies following the launch of a recruitment and retention drive last year.
A total of 28 registered nurses from the Philippines joined the Trust during the year and others are due to join them, according to Trust chairman Jeremy Vanes, who will present a report on the figures to next week's city council health scrutiny committee.
Among strategies put in place to keep overseas staff, the Trust provided 'buddies' to show new staff the ropes and help them become acquainted with the area.
Bosses also helped with accommodation, registering them with health services and financial arrangements. Each subsequent group was given contact details for the previous intake.
The average fill rate for registered nurses, particularly on days, has risen to more than 90 per cent in the last five months. The overfill rate for unregistered staff continues to help offset the shortage of registered nurses.
"The recruitment and retention plans we put in to place last year have yielded a reduction and slowing, particularly of the registered nurse vacancies," said Mr Vanes.
He said the Trust had also reviewed flexible working patterns and established a career pathway for new staff.
