Select a region
Health spent over £24m on plugging temporary staff gaps last year, new stats have shown, as the department launches a campaign to encourage "home-grown talent".
The response to a recent request made under the Freedom of Information Law revealed that £24,662,704 was spent on locum and agency staff from January 2023 to October 2023.
This is on top of over £68m spent on temporary staff in from 2018 to 2022.
Pictured: A total of £68,177,640 was spent by Health and Community Services on agency staff costs from 2018 to 2022. (Government of Jersey)
The Government is now encouraging islanders to consider careers in Health “with the view to becoming the future of our healthcare services”.
Drop-in sessions for people interested in qualifying as a nurse or midwife while living in Jersey will be taking place this month.
The department's education lead further stressed that "there is always a need to have home-grown talent".
Senior lecturers, practice education facilitators and current students will be on hand in the Education Centre, Peter Crill House at the Jersey General Hospital on 13, 17 and 27 January.
They will be providing advice to and sharing their experiences with those interested in applying for one of the courses or programmes.
Health and Community Services offer a range of undergraduate degree programmes available to study at their Jersey-based HCS Education Centre, including Nursing (Adult, Mental Health, Children and Young People) and Midwifery.
There is also a suite of other undergraduate and postgraduate programmes for healthcare professionals.
Pictured: Islanders can be guaranteed a position in the island's Health and Community Services.
The Education Centre provides a unique opportunity for students to live at home whilst studying – and all successful students are guaranteed a position at Health and Community Services upon completion of their degree programme.
Courses in Mental Health and Adult Nursing are fully funded, but islanders will be able to discuss their individual financial situations at the drop-in sessions.
Dr Hazel McWhinnie, Head of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional Education, said: "As we enter a New Year, I am encouraging islanders to consider studying in healthcare, with the view to becoming the future of our healthcare services.
"In the past we have welcomed a range of individuals to our programmes, including school leavers, students from other education access programmes, islanders who want to change the direction of their career, students with parental or caring responsibilities, students of different nationalities and many neurodiverse students.
"There is always a need to have home-grown talent, and we are very lucky to be able to offer the opportunity to take these degrees without going off-island. It is a fantastic way to get people to contribute to the island that they live on."
The drop-in sessions will take place at the Education Centre, Peter Crill House, Jersey General Hospital, on:
At the sessions, there is the opportunity to see a simulation suite, which are used in teaching to provide a realistic environment in which students can develop their technical skills and practice safe and effective patient care.
If islanders are interested in the studying opportunities, or would like some further advice and are unable to attend the drop-in sessions, they should email preregteam@health.gov.je or HCS Recruitment Lead, Dr Wendy Stevens at w.stevens@health.gov.je.
Applicants require five years' Jersey residency.
All applicants need to complete a local application form and if the essential criteria is met, they will be invited for interview.
Undergraduate degree programmes include:
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.