A HEALTH trust serving people in Warrington has been recognised for successfully recruiting staff from non-NHS backgrounds to cope with Covid pressures.

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been announced as the deserving winner of the ‘Best Recruitment Experience’ category at the 2021 Nursing Times Workforce Awards.

Winners were crowned across 15 categories, recognising organisations and individuals going above and beyond to recruit, develop and retain their nursing workforce.

Bridgewater was honoured for its health care support worker recruitment campaign, which made the NHS an achievable career for those who previously thought it was beyond their reach.

At a time when many people were losing their jobs due to the Covid pandemic, the trust got the message out there to the thousands whose life skills it welcomes and values.

Judges praised Bridgewater for an ‘innovative approach’ that brought new recruits into starter jobs with the health service with no previous NHS experience.

Speaking about the award win, Bridgewater chief executive Colin Scales said: “As a community trust, we are embedded in the communities we serve.

“Our staff live alongside their patients and know and understand the challenges they face.

“Covid-19 has without doubt changed peoples career directions, and sadly many have had no choice but to leave their previous roles.

“No NHS experience was needed for the team of health care support workers we were recruiting for, as on the job training and development was part of the package we were offering.

“This saw all but three applications coming from non-NHS backgrounds such as retail and hospitality.

“This award win is recognition of all the hard work that went on behind the scenes to encourage people living in our community to consider a career in the NHS.

“This really is a fitting achievement, and my thanks goes to everyone involved in making this happen.”

In addition to the triumphant win, Bridgewater was also named as a top three finalist in the category of ‘Best Employer for Staff Recognition’ in acknowledgement of the trust’s 10-year anniversary and thank you event held in April.

Bridgewater chair Karen Bliss added: “It is a tremendous achievement to not only win an award, but to be named as finalists in two of the categories at the Nursing Times Workforce Awards.

“After what has been and continues to be an incredibly challenging time for the NHS, we are very grateful to the judges for highlighting the importance that community services play.

“Our dedicated workforce is the beating heart of Bridgewater, and after such a tough 18 or so months, this award win and finalist recognition is truly deserved.”