Manor nurses could start in September
Up to 70 new nurses could be recruited at a West Midlands hospital by as early as September, bosses have revealed.
Steps are being taken to bring in the registered staff in a bid to improve care at Walsall Manor Hospital.
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust is looking to boost its workforce ahead of the traditionally busy winter period.
Health chiefs at the Manor are aiming to get the nurses recruited within the next three months.
Kathryn Halford, new director of nursing, said: "It is fully supported by all the executives and non-executives.
"We are having 70 new registered nurses we want them in by September. It is about supporting our promise and providing high quality care."
The hospital has suffered from increasing numbers of patients, with more people going to the site from Staffordshire. This is expected to increase under plans to downgrade Stafford Hospital.
A report from the director of nursing to the trust board of the hospital said they were looking to work with universities to provide a return to practice course for those thinking about returning to the profession.
It comes as the trust, which needs to save £10.7m this year, has been trying to drive down the cost of temporary workers.
Latest figures showed expenditure on agency, locum and bank workers has dropped to below £1.5m a month, after going as high as £2m last autumn.
The cost of temporary staff was £1.3m in March, rising slightly to £1.4m in April. The most recent expenditure was £473,000 on agency workers, £592,000 towards bank staff and another £420,000 on locums.
Thousands of extra emergency patients have been treated at Walsall Manor over the last year, with extra numbers coming from Staffordshire.
Figures for a six month period last year showed there were 16,062 emergency admissions, against a planned target of 14,723.
Investment is being carried out at the site with £800,000 on improving the A&E and a new £8m intensive care unit is to be built. Work on site anticipated to begin in July and take 72 weeks to complete.
Plans for a new £3.4 million ward with 30 beds and accommodation on a hospital car park is also part of the overall revamp.
However, it recently emerged that 40 posts are being axed across the 3,600 health trust workforce.
