By David Tooley

Copyright expressandstar

Last year Shropcom Community Health NHS Trust took over family nursing and health visiting services in the area and a board meeting heard leaders speak of a need to pay more visits to their staff.

Board papers for a meeting this week show that Dudley staff have one of the two highest staff leaver rates in the trust, and the organisation has been holding on to “several vacancies” because of a restructuring process.

The organisation is carrying out a ‘deep dive’ into the reasons why staff have been leaving.

Board member Cathy Purt said: “I think they feel unloved at the moment. Maybe we have to think about doing a visit out there.”

Cathy Purt is Shropcom’s champion for workforce and chair of its people committee and mentioned Dudley several times during the meeting.

Andrew Morgan, the chair in common, said: “We need to get out and interact with people. It does need us to make an effort.”

The meeting heard that “car parking is an issue” but Mr Morgan said they mustn’t let that put them off going.

The trust has also been discussing the issue at board meetings held in private, Mr Morgan said.

Members of the board have been making a point of arranging visits to staff at venues across the area, including community hospitals.

Leaders were also told that members of staff in Dudley have been having problems accessing training programmes.

Harmesh Darbhanga, a non-executive director, said problems included accessing health visitor records.

Clair Hobbs, Shropcom’s director of nursing, quality and clinical delivery, said staff in Dudley were feeling a “level of frustration” around the time it takes to access information.

Board members have given Shropcom a “partial assurance” over staff training because of issues in Dudley and it is getting their attention.

Board papers for the meeting in Telford on Thursday included 40 references to Dudley and the organisation refers to itself as covering “Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, and Dudley.”