JOB vacancies in housekeeping at hospitals remain high because of strong competition from supermarkets and other employers, a meeting of health bosses heard.

The monthly board meeting of the Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare (NHS) Trust (managers of Andover hospital) was told that the number of free housekeeping posts had fallen since the end of last year.

Currently, there is a vacancy rate of 19 per cent compared with 22 per cent at the turn of the year.

It remains difficult to fill the posts because other firms offer more money and benefits, the trust's director of personnel said.