Advice on careers in healthcare available at West Suffolk Hospital

8th September 2003

Staff from the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust will be available in the main entrance of the hospital from 9.30am until 4pm on Thursday 18^th September to help people who are interested in a career in healthcare.

"Previous Job Shops have been a huge success, with people being interviewed and provisionally appointed on the day and many more vacancies filled later by those who visited the event," said Angie Manning, Personnel Manager.

With vacancies currently available for many staff groups, including qualified nurses, nursing assistants, administrative and clerical staff, hotel services staff, occupational therapists and physiotherapists, the hospital is keen to support this successful national recruitment initiative.

During the Job Shop, anyone interested in working for the Trust will be able to call in to find out more about specific vacancies and learn about the wide range of roles available. Job interviews will be available during the day.

"The response to previous Job Shops has been fantastic. More than fifty people visited on each occasion, because they wanted to work at the Trust. These included qualified nurses, radiographers and an anaesthetist, as well as many others keen to secure employment in one of the support roles which are of such vital importance to the smooth-running of the hospital," added Angie.

"We believe that the best care for patients is provided by a happy and fulfilled workforce. Creating the opportunity for flexible working patterns and introducing family friendly policies is so important in recruiting and retaining valuable staff," said Jan Bloomfield, Director of Personnel and Corporate Resources at the Trust.

"West Suffolk is the first NHS Trust to achieve the Work-Life Balance Standard, which is a significant step towards our aim of becoming an ‘employer of choice’. During the previous Job Shop the popularity of working for the NHS and caring for others was clearly demonstrated by both the numbers who visited and the vacancies that were filled.”

Anyone unable to attend the Job Shop, but interested in working for the West Suffolk Hospital, should contact 01284 713702.