MORE than 70 new starters have been welcomed to the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT).

The 75 new faces included 44 newly-qualified nurses and five newly-qualified midwives.

The new staff members were welcomed at the latest corporate induction on Monday (September 18) at Furness General Hospital.

Sue Smith executive chief nurse opened the day and after the induction said it was 'absolutely fantastic' to welcome so many staff.

“To welcome this number of staff in one day is absolutely fantastic," she said. "Especially an impressive 44 nurses and five midwives! We

have been working hard to recruit to many areas of the Trust and to see so many new faces in the room today is outstanding. There was a real buzz in the room and you could tell everyone was eager to get started!"

The new staff members will help to care for the residents of south Cumbria and north Lancashire, working across the Trust’s three hospitals: Furness General Hospital, Westmorland General Hospital and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Fiona Ducksbury recently graduated from the University of Central Lancashire and has joined the Trust as a Midwife at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. She said: “I can’t wait to start working at UHMBT; it is really exciting to finally get started and to be doing something I love!”

More information on job vacancies at UHMBT and across the wider health and social care system in Lancashire and Cumbria can be found at http://betterwithyou.co.uk/