Gloucestershire talks to RCN congress over skills concerns

A Gloucestershire nurse is to speak at the annual congress of the Royal College of Nursing about her concerns over the role of specialist nurses.

Verna Phillips will tell delegates in Liverpool that some are being forced to specialise without proper training.

She said other nurses with a specific skill are ending up in general wards.

The Department of Heath (DoH) said it was "listening to the views" of those who treated patients as part of its modernisation plans.

Ms Phillips said she would like nurses to spend time in different areas so they can cope with any shift.

The motion to the conference on Sunday "calls on UK governments to require nurses to work across all clinical specialties".

'Lifelong learning'

"Some nurses stay in their first placement post-training forever and others specialise too soon," said Ms Phillips.

"This leaves them very vulnerable to job losses and redundancies in today's political climate.

"I feel that as nurses we should move with the times, rise to the challenge and not just pay lip service but embrace lifelong learning."

A DoH spokesperson said: "Specialist nurses are integral to the future of the NHS.

"We want to build on what works well in the current system and put a new focus on training through Health Education England."