Up to 500 new NHS jobs will be created in Kent this month as part of a recruitment drive to attract more people to the health profession.

The push is being led by temporary staff provider NHS Professionals, which will spread new recruits across five NHS Trusts in the county.

The new jobs will include 140 healthcare support worker roles as well as registered nurses, specialist nurses, physiotherapists and admin and clerical staff.

These will work at sites runs by Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Medway Community Healthcare CIC, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Kent Community Health NHS Trust and Kent and Medway NHS Trust.

A recruitment day will be held at Bluewater on Saturday, May 17, with workers able top sign up on the day providing they bring correct documentation.

Medway NHS Foundation Trust chief nurse Steve Hams said: “We are pleased to be working with NHS Professionals to recruit more high quality staff.

"Our patients rightly deserve exceptional care and we are keen to attract high calibre individuals who can offer our patients the very best skilled and compassionate care.

“We can offer a wide variety of specialisms and an opportunity to work in a dynamic and supportive environment.”

"Our patients rightly deserve exceptional care and we are keen to attract high calibre individuals who can offer our patients the very best skilled and compassionate care..." - Steve Hams, Medway NHS Foundation Trust

Budding candidates can also apply to work in the health industry through NHS Professionals’ Care Support Worker Development Programme.

This is running at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust and Medway NHS Foundation Trust and is open to anyone who can demonstrate six months evidence of working in a care home or nursing home environment.

Medway NHS Foundation Trust care support worker Louise Collins said: “It’s a fantastic programme which provides room to learn while working in a hospital environment around great staff.

“You are supported on the ward by your clinical mentor and colleagues and off the ward by the local NHS Professionals team.

“So far it has been a great experience and I am keen to complete the programme so I can work on different wards and build my confidence and experience as I work.

“I would recommend this programme to anyone who wants to join the NHS but has not got that hospital experience.”

NHS Professionals employ about 50,000 nurses, doctors and other healthcare staff, who act as flexible temporary workers for 60 NHS Trusts across the UK.

More details at www.nhsprofessionals.nhs.uk/kent.