Dundee's Ninewells Hospital to train RAF nurses

RAF Medical reservists are refereshing their skills at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee

Medical reservists in the Royal Air Force are to get first-hand experience of frontline care in the NHS.

The nurses, from 612 Squadron, will work with staff at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital to refresh their skills ahead of deploying to Afghanistan.

NHS Tayside's practice education facilitators (PEFs) will tailor a programme to help the RAF nurses brush up on their acute clinical practice.

The venture is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.

The RAF personnel are registered nurses who are members of Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service at RAF Leuchars.

Their role involves them providing care for military personnel requiring evacuation and acute trauma management in the field.

'Positive response'

Reservists can be deployed to areas all over the world, including Bosnia, Cyprus, Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan.

Each RAF reserve nurse will speak to their NHS counterparts about the skills which need to be refreshed, then a training course will be drawn up.

Gill Smith, team leader for the PEFs at NHS Tayside, said: "The PEF team have been delighted with the positive response they have received from clinical areas in offering their support to the squadron.

"This training offers the re-familiarisation of acute clinical practice skills in preparation for deployment."