18.01.12
Nurse training reduction
Places for trainee nurses inLondonhave been cut from 2,000 to 1,580 a year. The NHS suggests this is to raise standards of teaching, by focusing on quality, not quantity.
The training shake-up comes after damning reports indicating that some nurses lack ‘fundamental attitudes to care’. David Cameron has ordered a review of nursing care and universities have been ordered to implement higher standards on nursing courses.
NHS London chief nurse Professor Trish Morris-Thompson said: “Unfortunately, there are examples where some nurses lack the fundamental attitudes to care. Whilst reassuringly this is the exception and not the norm, it will not be tolerated and is concerning enough for us to have taken this action.
“Making these changes will improve the quality of nurses who move into the NHS. I firmly believe this will significantly improve patient care, and that has to be a good thing.”
An NHS spokesman said: “This is not about making savings. We are spending the same amount – £1.1bn – as we did last year on training doctors and nurses inLondon, but we are doing this in a different way to increase the number of nurses where they’re most needed.”
However, the Royal College of Nursing voiced concerns about the reduction in nurse training places. RCN chief executive Dr Peter Carter said: “The nursing workforce has grown in recent years, but only just enough to keep up with rising demands on healthcare.
“It is vital to avoid a return to the chronic shortages of the early 1990s and the old boom-and-bust cycle of NHS workforce planning. NHS London needs to produce a robust plan guaranteeing continued investment in nurse training and education.
“The vast majority of newly-qualified nurses are dedicated professionals, who are committed to providing the highest possible standards of patient care. Having the right numbers and mix of healthcare professionals is pivotal in enabling these nurses to provide this high-quality care.”
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]