THE number of vacancies for doctors in hospitals across Worcestershire has halved.

There is currently a shortage of 75 doctors in the county, compared with 153 vacancies in May.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said it attracted the new talent through a variety of strategies, including a recruitment trip to India.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the chair of the British Medical Association council, said: "It is encouraging to see a reduction in the number of doctors' vacancies.

"This highlights how areas struggling with high levels of staff vacancies can benefit from an innovative and well-executed recruitment strategy.

"Whilst this is a step in the right direction, the NHS remains woefully short of doctors.

"It is vital that the government does more to address the recruitment issues that are exacerbating the workforce crisis and threatening the delivery of patient care.”

Dr Nagpaul added that almost 75 per cent of hospitals across the country were reporting speciality vacancies.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said its recruitment problems were partly caused by national shortages in certain specialities.

A spokesman for the Trust said: "Recruitment remains one of our biggest challenges. However, we are seeing some success following the implementation of our recruitment strategy.

"Recruitment strategies in place include the strengthening of relationships with local universities to maximise outcomes through undergraduate placement programmes, overseas recruitment initiatives and improving training opportunities.

"An online social media campaign is reaching more than 25,000 people every week and we are hosting and attending a number of recruitment events both locally and regionally to promote the Trust and the county as a great place to live and work."

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt announced that he would end the NHS pay cap in the House of Commons on Tuesday, October 10.

Worcestershire hospital bosses said they welcomed efforts to boost recruitment but wanted more details on the decision to lift the cap before providing a comment.

The Trust runs three hospitals in the county, including Worcestershire Royal Hospital, and anyone interested in a job can go on www.jobs.nhs.uk.