Nurses are not applying for jobs at Colchester General Hospital due to its poor reputation.

Hospital bosses believe recent scandals, including the falsifying of cancer data and high death rates, are harming recruitment efforts.

It has been forced to readvertise for a lead cancer nurse after no suitable candidates were identified for the role.

Colchester Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has provided an update to Essex County Council’s health overview and scrutiny committee ahead of a meeting tomorrow.

The report said: "It is proving more difficult to recruit to some specialties than others, including care of the elderly, stroke and the emergency department."

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