Last night, Whanganui District Health Board officially welcomed 14 new doctors, who have arrived over the past three months, to Wanganui Hospital.

Of the 14 new doctors, ten are resident medical officers (RMO’s) from the UK who will be with Wanganui Hospital for 12 months as part of their training.

Whanganui District Health Board General Manager Public Hospital and Health Services, Jeanette Woltman-Black is pleased that the recruitment team have been able to recruit so many doctors.

”We now have a full roster of Whanganui District Health Board employed junior doctors which is fantastic. In previous years we have had to top up staffing levels with locum agency employees who are quite costly.”

Whanganui District Health Board RMO Recruiter, Karen McCormick said that the teams approach to the recruitment of doctors is all about candidate care, which has proven to be very successful.

“From the time a candidates CV lands on our desks to picking them up at the airport we keep in regular contact and get to know a doctor personally before they arrive. Creating this relationship is often what makes us the preferred choice over another hospital who may also be trying to recruit them.”

Mrs McCormick said that Wanganui Hospital also offers junior doctors more clinical experience and leadership.
“Another benefit is the hands on experience and the opportunity to work along side Consultants that junior doctors get here. In many larger hospitals junior doctors can spend a high percentage of their first few years doing more paper work than practical work.”

Whanganui District Health Board also welcomed an Orthopaedic Registrar and three senior medical officers (SMO’s) to Wanganui Hospital; two Emergency Department Consultants and a General Surgeon.

Mrs Woltman-Black acknowledged that there is a nationwide shortage of doctors in New Zealand. However, due to the success of the District Health Boards Human Resources Recruitment team, Wanganaui Hospital has a stable doctor workforce.