Nurse mentoring scheme launched in Devon

General Practice nurse Eileen Flaherty said the scheme had been "invaluable"

A new mentoring scheme has been launched by the NHS which aims to train younger staff and retain older nurses.

NHS figures show 62% of General Practice nurses in Devon are aged 50 or above, which is higher than the national average of 55%.

Just 5% of the county's practice nurses are under the age of 30.

It is hoped the scheme will increase the number of younger nurses applying to GP practices in the next five years.

Eileen Flaherty, 53, who works as a General Practice nurse in Sidmouth and has taken up a legacy mentoring role, said it has been "invaluable".

"At the heart of every nurse is the desire to care and support and nurture and nourish people," she said.

"When this came up the fact I could impart even a fraction of the knowledge and experience I've had over the 30 years of nursing was invaluable."

She added: "It just makes me feel so valued as a nurse and the fact that I can then have a legacy left behind me for all my years in my career and that it will make a difference to the nurses of the future."

The mentoring scheme has been launched by NHS Devon

Trainee GP nurse Emily Bowden said she has benefited from the initiative.

"There's a lot of nurses leaving the profession at the moment," she said.

"I think if there was more support out there hopefully they would stay."

Sarah Hall, practice nurse lead for NHS Devon, said: "If we have happy well trained and well supported nurses they will help our patients to have better outcomes and better experiences."

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is supportive of the scheme, but said pay has to be competitive.

RCN spokesperson Steve Pulsford said: "If employers such as GPs don't at least match those terms and conditions available elsewhere then attracting people to work for them and recruitment and retention is always going to be a challenge."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We are encouraging more people into the profession through supporting the pathway of progression from nursing associate to registered General Practice nurse, and we welcome approaches that support nurses training and retention."