Hospitals facing staffing crisis - The Worcester Observer

Hospitals facing staffing crisis

Worcester Editorial 4th Mar, 2016 Updated: 19th Oct, 2016   0

A STAFFING crisis has hit Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT) as both qualified and non-qualified staff leave for pastures new.

At the end of 2015, the number of full-time qualified nurses working for the trust, which runs the Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester, the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and Kidderminster Hospital, was 49 less than at the start of the year.

The numbers for administrative and clerical staff also fell, with an overall reduction of 24 full-time staff throughout the trust.

Overall, staff turnover is running at 12.76 per cent with nursing turnover hitting 14 per cent against a target of 10 per cent.




For nurses, the division with the highest leavers was medicine where 94 left, compared to 72 the year before.

Turnover in the women’s and children’s division also soared from 8.45 per cent to 12.53 per cent, with 48 departing, compared to 32 the year before.


Papers before today’s WAHT trust board meeting also indicate a ‘significant number of unqualified leavers’ in the medical division. Reasons for quitting given by staff include work-life balance, relocation, better reward package and promotion, although it was recognised that the transfer of maternity and gynaecology services to Worcester from Redditch may also have had an impact.

The trust is currently heading for a £60 million shortfall and its failure to recruit and retain staff means it has to employ expensive agency staff to cover vacancies, further worsening its financial position.

A range of schemes, from career fairs and closer links with the University of Worcester are planned to address the issue.

Buy Photos

Buy photos online from the Worcester Observer newspaper.

Advertising

Advertise with the Worcester Observer to reach your audience

Public Notices

View and download all of the public notices in the Worcester Observer.

Online Editions

Catch up on your local news by reading our e-editions on the Worcester Observer.