The Bermuda Hospitals Board has started recruiting for staff for the new East End Urgent Care Centre as it begins to take shape.

In this year's Budget, Government allocated $2.5 million for the Southside clinic. A second centre in Southampton is proposed for 2009's capital plan.

The urgent care centres will offer treatment for "non-life-threatening conditions that require quick attention" such as bone fractures, influenza and minor cuts and bruises, and are aimed at reducing pressure on King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

A BHB spokesperson yesterday confirmed that the Southside centre was on schedule to be ready for April 1 – and that the BHB is now actively recruiting.

"We are at an exciting phase of the project where people can actually see the building begin to take shape. Most of the construction work on the basement and ground floor is now complete.

"While construction continues, we have already started the recruitment process for additional health care professionals to ensure we have staff in place for the opening."

According to a June Planning application submitted for the facility, the centre will include a reception area, laboratory and radiology, treatment rooms, pharmacy, nurses' station, staff lounge, IT room and ambulance station.

The spokesperson added: "The UCC will be staffed by a physician, nurse, radiology technician, laboratory technician and a clerk. We are looking forward to opening our doors to the east end community in a just few months' time."