Wye Valley NHS Trust has launched a campaign and a series of open day events specifically for qualified nurses who may have left the profession, or new starters, who want to work at community hospitals. There will be a n open day event at Ross Community Hospital on Tuesday, October 17th.

There will be similar events on Monday, October 16th at the Hillside Community Hospital in Hereford, Leominster Community Hospital on Wednesday, October 18th and Bromyard Community Hospital on Thursday, October 19th.

Each of the events run from 4pm to 7pm and will give those attending the chance to meet hospital staff for a chat and the opportunity to ask questions and have a guided tour of the hospitals.

Wye Valley NHS Trust is one of a small number of Trust’s in the country that provides acute and community healthcare, so it is able to offer a variety of opportunities and progression for qualified nurses.

Anna Llewellin, lead nurse for the Trust’s community hospitals, joined the Trust following a similar recruitment campaign a few years ago. She said: “I wanted a job that could offer me a flexible work-life balance around my family and give me the opportunity to work as a nurse in both the community and acute hospital settings.

“Wye Valley NHS Trust is a very friendly Trust and strives to provide staff development opportunities in order to enhance the quality of care it delivers to patients.

“If you are a qualified nurse who lives in one of our market towns and would like to work at a local community hospital near where you live, we’d love to see you at one of our open day events.

“You may not have worked in a hospital for some time but are still registered, or your registration has lapsed. That doesn’t matter - we would like to hear from you and the Trust will support you to regain your registration.”

Anna added that the Trust is also keen to speak to people who may have considered nursing as a career but taken it no further.

“Working at a community hospital is about local people providing care for their local community. And with changes in the way community care is delivered, it will mean more contact with patients away from hospitals and in patients’ own homes.”

The Trust is keen to appoint new nursing staff as soon as possible and suitable candidates will be offered an interviews very quickly if they match the criteria.

“We can help you reach your full potential and make a real difference to patient care in your own local communities,” added Anna.

Anyone interested in attending the open day events should simply turn up – there’s no need to book a place.

More details can be found on the Trust’s website – www.wyevalley.nhs.uk – under the “work with us” tab which includes information about what the Trust can offer and stories from staff already working at the Trust.