Deal Hospital is recruiting after the opening of its ground-breaking consultant nurse led Rheumatology clinic earlier this month.

Deal and Dover MP Charlie Elphicke has hailed the expanding services after he met with Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust’s head of clinical services Nicola Osborne and ward manager Lesley Sloan, as well as local GP Dr Sally Russell.

Deal Hospital now offers a pain clinic, ear nose and throat service and mental healthcare along with cardiac and diabetes care. The hospital has a 26-bed ward and three palliative care beds.

Mr Elphicke heard how the hospital is seeking to recruit more nurses to meet the increasing number of services on offer. It is also looking for more volunteers, including those who help the hospital’s League of Friends.

Mrs Osborne said: “It was a great opportunity for us to showcase to our local MP the fabulous care and rehabilitation that happens every day at Deal. It’s a great place to work or volunteer and if you are a nurse looking to return to practice, we’d love to hear from you.”

Dr Russell said: “We have just started a 12-month rheumatology consultant nurse clinic pilot which is the first in Kent.

“This is a totally new way of delivering services which is hopefully setting the pathway for future care across many specialties.

“It is the healthcare of the future and we are spearheading this here in Deal. It is a very exciting time for Deal patients and the town of Deal should be proud that it is at the forefront of these types of projects. We are genuinely leading the way in the future of the NHS.”

Mr Elphicke said: “It was fantastic to meet the team at Deal Hospital. We discussed how the expanding services mean more staff are needed, so I hope nurses who live locally in Deal will think of working at Deal Hospital.

“So many new services are being offered and there is now a fantastic range of specialised clinics operating out of the hospital.

“Congratulations are also due to Deal Hospital and its staff on its good Care Quality Commission rating. It is great to see so many clinics and services available in the heart of our community, right where they are needed.”