eezofminders, which runs a network of nannies, childminders and nursery nurses across England, has formed a partnership with West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust to recruit two full-time 'mobile nannies' who will be able to provide childcare at short notice to its staff, including nurses.
The trust has two workplace nurseries, managed by nursery group TLC (Tender Loving Childcare). A 46-place nursery opened at Watford General Hospital a year ago and a 48-place nursery was opened at St Alban's City Hospital in April. Both nurseries are open from 7am to 7pm.
Once recruited the 'nannies' will be based at each site and available between 7am and 10pm every weekday to provide emergency childcare. Both 'nannies' will work on a shift basis so that one of them is always on-call between these hours. If there is sufficient demand the service will be extended to weekends and Bank Holidays.
They will be employed by eezofminders, which will also manage the booking service for the trust. Parents registering for the service will pay an hourly rate, subsidised by the trust.
There are six NHS trusts within Hertfordshire employing over 9,000 staff between them. The new service will be available to all of the trust's staff.
Barbara Leon-Hunt, the trust's childcare co-ordinator, said, 'We identified a need to offer emergency cover for when childcare arrangements have broken down or when a child is ill.'
She said some employees working longer evening shifts had also called for a childcare service to be on offer after the nursery closes at 7pm.
Ms Leon-Hunt said that when the idea of emergency cover had been raised in the past parents had voiced concerns about it, because they did not like the idea of 'a complete stranger'. But recruiting childcare staff to provide back-up based in the trust's on-site nurseries means that 'parents will be able to go and meet them at any time', she said.
When the 'nannies' are not needed the nursery will be able to use their services in the same way as they would a nursery nurse from an agency, by paying a fee to eezofminders.
Ms Leon-Hunt said the new service would also save the trust money on agency fees to cover nursing shifts and pay for locums when childcare arrangements fall through at the last minute.
Kevin Brent, who set up eezofminders in 2001, said he expected the service to be in place by 1 October.
