Published: 06/01/2005, Volume II5, No. 5937 Page 6

Oldham Royal Hospital nurse Maxine Oakley (left) and charge nurse Darren Bigga get to grips with a new service that alerts nurses to available shifts via text messaging, with associate director of nursing Nicola Nicholls.

Pennine Acute Hospitals trust has secured 15,000 for the project. Five local hospitals will be invited to take part in an effort to help fill the trust's 6,500 monthly nursing shifts.