This follows a statewide shortage of nurses during the past few years.

“It’s about providing the town community with the care that they deserve,” Ms Ford said.

Ms Ford and nurse manager Graeme Roberts have been working on employing the new staff members since June last year.

“Since then, four new residing nurses have been upskilled to support Wellington from within the town,” Mr Roberts said.

Local nurse Sue Veech has been newly-appointed clinical nurse educator and among the registered nurses are Paul Wanganga who was working at Bloomfield in Orange, Andrew Gordon from Port Macquarie, Adiona Mbodza, Rachel Chifamba and Margaret Madya.

Melbourne university students Siju Devassy and Dipin Mathew will stay until June 1 under overseer Marie Barling to get experience in a rural setting,

Mayor Anne Jones said that the hospital staff were to be congratulated for going above and beyond the call of duty, adding that they have been working closely with council to ensure that Wellington offers a high standard of health service within the region.

They have also been discussing the accommodation needs for prospective registered nurses in the third quarter of 2012.

Each month Ms Ford and Mr Roberts meet with aged-care directors of nursing in the local government area (including Maranatha, Bellhaven and Yeoval UPA) where they speak with Beryl Bush who represents the interests of a patient’s continued care after discharge.

Cr Jones said that the health service was a non-negotiable part of the community and that while it was ‘almost impossible’ in rural areas to retrieve a standard of service once it has slipped, the staff at Wellington were proactive in contributing to excellent services within the health system.