Image source, PA Media

The man in charge of Leicester's hospitals has pledged to go out into the community to fill gaps in the workforce.

Richard Mitchell, chief executive of University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL), said extra incentives would also be introduced to attract new staff.

The NHS is in a recruitment crisis nationally with more 100,000 posts currently unfilled, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Mr Mitchell said public recruitment events would be held to tackle the problem locally.

'Improved engagement'

"We’re going to have a presence on the high street enabling our communities to come in and we will explain to them the rich varieties of jobs that we have in the organisation," he said.

“We certainly want to establish Leicester as the place that I would like to go and work.

“There’s a lot of work we need to do before that, but we also want to engage far more effectively with our local communities.

"I don’t think Leicester is particularly effective at engaging with its local communities.”

Possible incentives being considered include measures to help staff through the cost-of-living crisis, including the free use of washing machines and food discounts.

He added more staff would also be recruited from India - but in an ethical way to make sure the country's own healthcare system did not suffer as a result.

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