Two months after announcing cuts, Dosher now hiring

SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — After announcing the layoffs of dozens of employees in late August, officials with Dosher Memorial Hospital said they have a new announcement — they’re hiring.

On August 28, the hospital announced 31 employees would be laid off; an additional 17 more employees would have reduced hours. Kirk Singer, the spokesman for the hospital, said the amount of employees who accepted early retirement packages was much larger than they originally expected.

“We actually have had some need for additional people to come back to the hospital,” Singer said.

Patients and residents said they were disappointed when they heard about the layoffs.

“I just think that the hospital is going to be really hurting,” resident Linda Mullins said.

“I’m not very happy about it though. Cause I’ve got to have surgery up there the 27th and I’m kind of wondering how that’s going to affect, you know, shortages of nurses or what,” patient Sherrie Dunlap said.

Now that the hospital is hiring so quickly after the layoffs, residents are critical about the hospital’s management.

“It’s poor planning on management’s part. They should have done that in reverse. You know, find out how many people were going to take the early retirement,” said resident Sid Mullins. “It wouldn’t, couldn’t possibly cost them much to keep those people so they wouldn’t have had to go in to unemployment, then cancel unemployment.”