New staffing crisis at Stafford Hospital
A staffing crisis at a scandal-hit hospital is getting worse, new figures reveal - with bosses looking for scores of nurses but not getting enough applications.
Stafford Hospital is facing a shortage of 85 full-time equivalent nurses and midwives - the fifth month in a row that the figure has increased.
But chiefs admit that the response to advertised vacancies has been 'poor'.
And several hopefuls keep applying even though they have already been told they are not suitable.
The Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust - which is being dissolved - wants a maximum of four per cent of nursing posts to be vacant - but the total currently stands at 11 per cent.
And bosses admit the situation is not likely to improve soon.
In March alone, 43 staff left and just 18 were recruited. Of the staff that left, 18 were nurses, 10 clerical staff and seven were 'additional clinical services, the majority of whom were health care assistants.
And it has been revealed that of the 117 consultants at the trust, 21 are either locums or staff acting up.
Bosses say the main areas of concern are consultant posts in radiology, A&E and elderly care.
A report by Chris Plant, head of corporate human resources, states: "The trust continues to recruit, although the response to the general medical/surgical advertisement has been poor for March, with only 11 candidates being forwarded for shortlisting with an interview in April.
"Volume of applicants is now very low, with several candidates -many of whom are known to the Trust and who have previously found to be not appointable - still making multiple applications."
He adds: "Vacancies will be monitored closely and appropriate action taken. The likelihood is that the Trust will remain above four per cent for the foreseeable future, however."
It comes despite 29 new nurses being taken on at the hospital in November and December last year to plug a shortage.
The University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS) will take over Stafford Hospital on October 1 after Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt approved stripping services from the troubled site.
The Support Stafford Hospital group is taking legal action to stop the overhaul going ahead – and will get funding from Stafford Borough Council.
Stafford could still retain consultant-led maternity services after Mr Hunt agreed for NHS England to carry out a review into the issue.
Stafford's A&E opening hours permanently reduced to 14, the maternity unit downgraded reducing the number of births delivered by half, and care for very sick children, major surgery and emergency treatment taking place 20 miles away in Stoke.
