A HOSPITAL trust struggling to fill a growing shortage of nurses is hoping its reputation as a centre of innovation can overcome affordability and transport issues.

A career fair at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital on Wednesday featured more than 20 stands with representatives from nursing specialities offered by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH).

It follows an overseas recruitment campaign last year which saw the trust make 350 job offers to nurses in the Philippines, India, Italy and Spain after nurse vacancy rates doubled within a year.

OUH Associate Chief Nurse, Andrew Carter, who has worked for the trust for 25 years, said a focus on career development, recruiting nurses already living nearby and working with universities was part of the local solution to the issue.

He added part of selling Oxford to new nurses was acknowledging affordability issues but focusing on the positives of the city.

Mr Carter said: "Oxford, and the trust, are at the forefront of science innovation, as well as having the children's hospital and a busy district hospital with a wide range of specialties for nurses to choose from.

"Affordability is a problem but it's about taking the positives you can from that. Due to the high student population there are a lot of rentals and house shares so for newly qualified nurses that can be a really good thing."

Another focus for the trust is helping more nurses to return to practice.

Hayley Harvey, learning environment lead for an OUH programme which works with Oxford Brookes University, said: "Those who left nursing to care for family, or because they moved overseas have a wealth of training and experience to offer. The 14-week course we offer, which includes a placement and full support, is also a much quicker way of getting nurses back on to wards."

John Drew, Director of Improvement and Culture at OUH said a deal struck between the government and unions on Wednesday, which will apply to more than 1.3 million staff, including nurses, and mean at least a 6.5 per cent wage increase over the next three years, would also help as the expense of living in Oxford was a 'well-known' issue.

Mr Drew added, however, it was not the only problem for staff, explaining: "I don't think it will fully solve the issue, especially in Oxford. We've just published our annual staff survey and while affordability was brought up, things like transport links into the city were also a problem and we want to work with the council on that."

There are currently 98 nursing and midwifery vacancies listed at ouh.nhs.uk.

Chief Nurse Sam Foster said: “Oxford University Hospitals offers a wide variety of nursing and midwifery careers for both registered and support staff - we offer a fantastic two year foundation programme for newly qualified nurses and midwives."