Specialist nurse role 'critical'

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The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is calling for every patient with a long-term condition to have access to specialist nursing care.

It wants guaranteed funding to avoid cutbacks in specialist nurses after the general election.

It says specialist nurses save money through reduced complications and fewer hospital re-admissions.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown recently announced that cancer patients would have access to specialist nurses.

Specialist nurses focus on particular conditions such as cancer, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy.

The RCN says they can deliver savings by enabling patients to be treated at home rather than in hospital and help people manage their condition with less support from their GP.

It calculates that specialist nurses caring for people with Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy could deliver savings of £220m a year.

Specialist nurses are a unique lifeline for patients and families Dr Peter Carter, RCN

The RCN surveyed nearly 300 specialist nurses and 60 health organisations.

It found that more than a third of respondents had seen posts cut over the last year and over half fear future cuts.

The nurses' union says it has "significant concerns" that posts could be lost as funding dries up.

It says this happened in 2006 when many specialist roles were cut, frozen or downgraded because of hospital deficits.

In addition to guaranteed NHS funding to prevent cutbacks, it wants the funding of specialist nursing posts which are paid for by voluntary organisations to be underwritten by the NHS.

'Lifeline'

Dr Peter Carter, RCN chief executive and general secretary, said: "While the temptation may be to cut or downgrade specialist nursing roles, this would be a false economy which would only add to the growing cost of treating long-term conditions.

"Specialist nurses are a unique lifeline for patients and families, who are unequivocal in saying that the specialist nurse is the key factor in preserving their quality of life."

Earlier this month, the prime minister announced plans to provide dedicated one-to-one care by specialist nurses for everyone with cancer.

The Department of Health in England said £20 million has been set aside for the first 12 months of the five-year programme.

Opposition parties praised the contribution of specialist nurses but questioned how the plan would be delivered.

Conservative health spokeswoman Anne Milton said: "Specialist nurses have been a fantastic development over the last few decades bringing better outcomes, better quality and saving money.

"It is time to appreciate what a contribution they can make when money is tight."

Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat health spokesman, said: "There is a real danger that the NHS will respond to the financial crisis by taking a slash and burn approach to its essential staff and services that make a real difference to patients with chronic conditions.

"This is a false economy and will be devastating for patient care."