NATIONAL Health Service employees in Worcestershire are set to benefit from a new training partnership aimed at increasing their skills.

The training partnership has been developed by the Learning And Skills Council Herefordshire And Worcester-shire together with the NHS.

It has been signed by The Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust, three local primary care trusts (Wyre Forest, South Worcestershire and Redditch/Bromsgrove) the Hereford And Worcester Ambulance Trust and the Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.

The aim is to develop career opportunities and support the local NHS recruitment drive.

Alan Curless, executive director of the local LSC, said: "As the NHS is one of the largest employers in Worcestershire, this agreement represents a major strategic partnership between the local LSC and the county's health providers.

"It will go a long way to addressing the skills shortages within the health service. By raising the standards within the industry, we will ultimately attract new recruits to pursue a career in the NHS."

The agreement aims to:

lHelp low-skilled employees to achieve NVQ Level 2 in a range of occupational areas

lWork with Jobcentre Plus and nextstep jobseekers to identify potential career opportunities in the NHS.

lDevelop apprenticeship programmes to help young people who would like to work in the NHS.

lSupport managers within the industry by offering specific skills courses at Level 4 and Level 5

lDevelop recruitment solutions to meet skills shortages in specific areas.

Glen Burley, deputy chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Recruiting and retaining staff with the right training and qualifications is a vital part of our efforts to improve patient care.

"This agreement is an important step forward because Worcestershire's NHS organisations are working with the Learning and Skills Council to offer local people a chance to get the training they need training to take advantage of the career opportunities we can offer."