A ‘FRESH TALENT TASK FORCE’ put in place by Moray’s MSP in an effort to address recruitment issues for key workers in the region has received a good public sector response.
That is according to Richard Lochhead who recently wrote to NHS Grampian, Moray Council, Skills Development Scotland and a variety of other organisations.
It followed the round table discussion he chaired about key local staffing shortages where he sought agreement on the creation of a joint taskforce to address the issue.
Now NHS Grampian, Moray Council, Skills Development Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise have all given the formation of a task force their backing – and Mr Lochhead is urging those involved to get things in place as soon as possible.
The MSP said: “The challenges that Moray has faced recruiting teachers, doctors and other public sector workers are well publicised, and there’s no denying that vacancies have had a real impact on our local public services.
“When I brought the key public agencies together earlier this year to discuss what is causing some of these recruitment problems, it was clear that there were issues affecting all organisations, for example a lack of available housing for those moving into the area.
“It struck me that what Moray needed was for these public organisations to come together, to share resources and avoid duplication of work in their efforts to tackle this issue head on for the benefit of everyone in Moray.
“Following that meeting, I wrote to those involved urging them to be part of a fresh talent task force to do exactly that and I’m really pleased that they’ve signed up to the creation of a task force and to working together to identify solutions.”