Two nursing posts filled at Dunbar Hospital
NHS Highland’s efforts to attract qualified nursing staff to the Minor Injuries Unit at Dunbar Hospital, Thurso, have proved successful with the appointment of two senior nurses.
Extra efforts were made to fill the two Band 6 grade nursing posts at the hospital’s Minor Injuries Unit and Out-of-Hours Urgent Care Centre after the temporary weekend closure of the unit last month.
The posts were originally advertised just before Christmas and were re-advertised after staffing pressures forced the temporary closure of the MIU between Saturday, March 18 and Monday, March 20.
The MIU opened temporarily between 8am and 8pm and the 24 hour service was restored on Wednesday, March 22.
Now, one qualified Band 6 nurse will take up her post by the end of May with another nurse starting around the middle of June.
In addition, it is hoped that another Band 6 nurse will return from long term sick leave around that time.
On top of this strengthening of senior nursing staff levels at the MIU, the board also aims to recruit more nursing staff to posts within the Dunbar Hospital.
Mike Flavell, NHS Highland’s district manager for Caithness, said: “The success of our recruitment efforts with these appointments is great news, especially as another qualified nurse is returning to the unit from long-term sick leave.
“We now hope to build on this success by attracting more qualified nursing staff to the Dunbar, including two part-time Band 5 nursing posts that are vacant in the in-patient unit.”
A report which appeared on Page Six of Wednesday’s Caithness Courier (Fears voiced over changes to hospital’s opening hours) incorrectly stated that the Minor Injuries Unit at Dunbar Hospital in Thurso was still operating a restricted hours service from 8am to 8pm.
The Minor Injuries Unit at Dunbar Hospital returned to its normal 24 hours a day, seven days a week operation on Wednesday, March 22.
We apologise for the error.