CDHB Nursing Staff Head To UK On Recruitment Drive

10 September 2007

CDHB Nursing Staff Head To United Kingdom On Recruitment Drive

Canterbury District Health Board nursing management are heading to the United Kingdom later this month on a recruitment drive, with the aim of enticing about 60 nurses to the CDHB.

Sue Hayward, Director of Nursing Services at Christchurch Hospital, and Sam Powell, Nurse Manager Professional Development Unit, will leave for the UK on 21 September, where they will spend two weeks interviewing nurses in London and Manchester.

Recruitment company Geneva Health International has already organised 30 interviews with nurses and conducted an initial screening process.

The recruitment drive will focus mainly on filling workforce gaps at Christchurch Hospital, where there are currently a total of 50 vacancies across the surgical and medical specialities. Nurses will also be offered information about other CDHB hospitals if they would prefer to work elsewhere.

Sue Hayward says the department had decided to target the UK after talking to colleagues in Australia and other district health boards about the success of their overseas recruitment drives. It was just one of many initiatives currently in place to boost nursing recruitment.

“We offer back to nursing courses through the Professional Development Unit and our Nursing Entry to Practice Programme (for graduate nurses) has been very successful. We’re also providing flexible working hours, including eight, six and four hour shifts.”

Sam Powell says nurses who are prepared to begin work within the next six months will be offered two weeks’ free accommodation and will be linked with other recent UK arrivals to the CDHB who will provide support and mentoring.

ENDS

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