Estates team looks to tackle skills shortages.

: Concerned that engineering skills gaps, compounded by difficulties in attracting skilled tradespeople, will leave the Trust's Estates team poorly equipped and insufficiently skilled to meet the challenge of keeping a large acute hospital running efficiently over coming years, the management team within the Estates Maintenance Department at the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust has introduced a Workforce Development Programme to tackle existing skills gaps, bring in and retain able and enthusiastic new recruits, and ensure strong succession planning. HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie, met with the Trust's director of estates, Mark Bagnall, and head of Estates Maintenance, Paul Stafford, to find out more.