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Nurse training cut in London 'deeply concerning' - RCN | Nurse training cut in London 'deeply concerning' - RCN |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A reduction in training places for nurses in London is "deeply concerning", the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned. | A reduction in training places for nurses in London is "deeply concerning", the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned. |
NHS London is cutting the number of trainee nurses from 2,000 to 1,580 a year. | NHS London is cutting the number of trainee nurses from 2,000 to 1,580 a year. |
The organisation said the change would allow it to raise standards of teaching. | |
But the RCN warned of the possibility of "chronic shortages" of nurses, with staff "poached" from abroad. | |
RCN chief executive Dr Peter Carter said: "We are deeply concerned at this reduction in nurse training places. | RCN chief executive Dr Peter Carter said: "We are deeply concerned at this reduction in nurse training places. |
"The nursing workforce has grown in recent years, but only just enough to keep up with rising demands on healthcare. | "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." | |
'Improving quality' | |
He added: "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." | |
NHS London chief nurse Prof Trish Morris-Thompson said: "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 in London, but we are doing this in a different way to increase the number of nurses where they're most needed." |
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