HEALTH bosses are putting on a spread to attract nurses to join Burnley Health Trust's mental health teams.

In a new recruitment drive, hospital chiefs are organising two social evenings for qualified mental health nurses who are interested in returning to full or part time work.

The first will be at Gannow Lane Resource Centre, Burnley on Tuesday May 25 and the second in the staff restaurant at Rossendale Hospital on Tuesday June 8 - both events running from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

It will be the third tier of the trust's recruitment drive since the launch of the national Nurses Make a Difference campaign which has already been successful in attracting skilled health professionals back into general and theatre nursing.

Nurses aged from their late 20s to early 50s, some of whom have been away for 20 years, are now retraining on courses at Burnley General.

Simon Rippon, directorate nurse for mental health, said: "We are seeking qualified mental health nurses to meet the current shortfall but, longer term, we also want to attract more students into this field."

He added: "We are keen to meet people wanting to return to our service and let them know of the positive opportunities involved."

Nurses returning to work will take part in a part time re-training course which starts in September and involves three weeks being reintroduced to nursing in the 90s, followed by six weeks on nurse placements.

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