NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde has recruited 2,545 additional staff to be deployed throughout April as Scotland continues to battle coronavirus.

Over the past month an ongoing recruitment drive for key frontline services has seen thousands signing up, including more than 1,670 nurses and healthcare support workers.

200 new employees are to join the Estates and Facilities team, with a further 500 interviews taking place over the Easter weekend.

New starters as well as retired staff are returning to the virus frontline, including final year medical students.

Many workers will join immediately, with the rest creating a bank of qualified professionals to be called on as required in the coming weeks.

Large numbers of current health professionals within anaesthetics, theatres, surgery, medicine and others have undertaken additional training to enable them to work alongside intensive care colleagues to treat increasing numbers of ill patients.

Anne MacPherson, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: 

“Covid-19 has led to the largest recruitment drive the health board has ever undertaken in such a short period of time, and has resulted in in thousands more staff signing up to join in the efforts to combat the pandemic.

“There is a huge operation to process applications, undertake interviews and manage assignments of new staff, and the whole team has worked collaboratively and tirelessly to make this happen and I'd like to thank everyone involved in the process for their hard work so far.

“The new staff will provide invaluable support across the service, playing a crucial role in the care of patients, and ensuring we’re able to continue delivering high quality, safe and person centred care. We are confident we have the processes in place to recruit further staff in coming weeks and months if required.”

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