'Matron' to return with revamped role

Sources close to Mr Milburn confirmed that the plan would embrace a new role for nurse leadership to ensure that 'patients can recognise who is in charge'. But they refused to say whether the controversial word 'matron' would return: 'The important thing is not what they are called, but that the public know who they are, and that they have new powers.'

Ministers have already introduced a new grade of nurses - nurse consultants - in an attempt to raise the status of the profession. Insiders warned that the politically popular concept had met some resistance at a senior level within the Department of Health.

DoH communications nursing officer Jenny Kay said the public wanted someone to lead nursing practice on the ward: 'They would ensure high standards of care, hygiene, dignity and nutrition. It's not necessarily a new role, but it's not a strong enough role in many places.' But she said the word matron was 'outdated'.

The national plan is also expected to overhaul the health professions, which could mean separate regulatory bodies such as the General Medical Council being abolished or stripped of their disciplinary role in favour of a single system.

Mr Milburn announced plans to reform the nurses' regulatory body, the UK Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, last November but the government has so far failed to release a promised consultation document on its replacement.

Nursing leaders warned against separating disciplinary systems from general regulation, training and education.

Ministerial advisers have suggested the government could introduce a single body to deal with incompetent or criminal doctors and nurses, but keep separate organisations to set standards for the professions, while reviewing proposals to create a single umbrella regulatory body in the long term.

Royal College of Nursing policy adviser Helen Caulfield said while the professions recognised it was not in patients' interests to have separate regulatory bodies 'that don't work together', any move to split the disciplinary and standard-setting roles would be 'of real concern'.

She added: 'We don't want a very minimalist policing outfit, leaving the issue of competence and training out.'

The GMC, which has come under attack from the public and doctors after a series of high-profile scandals, was unable to comment beyond referring to its own review of its structure, constitution and governance.

The national plan could also include a guarantee that patients will have to wait no longer than nine months for elective care - longer than the rumoured target of three months.