EAST Somerset NHS Trust and St Margaret's Somerset Hospice are joining forces to recruit a number of numbers who will be jointly employed by both organisations.

They will work on a rotational basis at Yeovil District Hospital and St Margaret's new 16-bed in-patient unit and day care centre which is currently being built on the outskirts of Yeovil. A team of doctors and nurses will provide 24-hour care at the new centre which is due to open in the summer of next year.

The nursing collaborative will bring benefits to patients, their families and carers and to nurse recruitment in both organisations with the practice of palliative care skills developed and enhanced across both care settings.

National recruitment advertising will appear this month and interviews will take place in December. The new posts will particularly appeal to nurses interested in palliative care and the sharing of knowledge and skills through a continuing professional development.

St Margaret's nursing director, Ann Lee, said that this would be the first phase of the nurse recruitment programme for the new hospice in Yeovil.

"Initially we will jointly recruit eight registered nurses and eight health care assistants," she said. "It is an opportunity for staff to enjoy the benefits of working in the NHS and independent sector.

"We hope to attract nurses who are interested in specialising in palliative care. This will bring substantial benefits to patient care, workforce planning and staff development."

East Somerset NHS Trust's lead cancer nurse, Karen Dows, added: "We are delighted to be able to recruit staff in this new and collaborative way. By working jointly the strengths and resources of both organisations can be pooled creating a more powerful and sustainable initiative."

Anyone wishing to find out more about the joint nurse recruitment drive can call Lynda Chatfield at St Margaret's Somerset Hospice on 01823-259394 or Jo Ryan at East Somerset NHS Trust on 01935-384699.