A SCHEME to attract more doctors and nurses to Essex has been launched in Witham.

The Essex Primary Care Inter-Professional Centre (Epic) for Workforce Development is a joint project between more than eleven GP and NHS organisations.

The centre, in Collingwood Road, will help to train new and existing medical practioners and provide mentoring opportunities.

One group backing the scheme is the North and South Essex Local Medical Committees Ltd, which represents GPs in the area.

Chief executive Brian Balmer said: “This workforce development concept is the result of a shared effort on the part of the health economy in Essex to develop and invigorate primary care in the county.

“This initiative will be the focus for a new way to train and nurture the workforce we need for a thriving primary care environment. Confident well supported staff are the basis of all good patient care.”