All articles by Nicola Merrifield
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NewsDrop in EU nurses coming to UK since Brexit vote
The rate at which nurses from the EU are coming to the UK to work has dropped significantly since last June’s referendum and continued to slow until the end of 2016, official data reveals.
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NewsNMC to regulate new nursing associate role
The Nursing and Midwifery Council is to regulate nursing associates after it agreed to accept the government’s request to enter the new role on its register.
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NewsNew 'bridging' role could follow nursing associates
Another new role that combines nursing and therapy skills could be explored by Health Education England, once nursing associates are fully established, its chief executive has said.
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NewsHunt: Regulation 'necessary' for new nursing role
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has been asked by the government to regulate the new nursing associate role.
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NewsHEE rows back on nursing associates giving patients drugs unsupervised
Nursing associates will be trained to administer drugs “within the confines of local employer policies”, it has been confirmed as the final version of the curriculum for those in the new role was published yesterday – a change from a leaked version of the document that was heavily criticised.
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NewsNurse shortages 'likely to worsen' due to retirements and leaving EU
Nursing shortages are likely to get worse and could put patient safety at risk unless the government acts to tackle recruitment and retention problems, the Royal College of Nursing has warned.
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NewsTrusts named to test new nursing associate role
Health Education England has named the trusts to lead work piloting the new nursing associate role, and confirmed double the number of people will be trained for the new position than originally planned.
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NewsSurvey: HCAs being used as 'nurses on the cheap'
Almost 40 per cent of healthcare assistants say they have not received the training necessary to provide the care they are expected to deliver, according to a survey published today.
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NewsSafe staffing laws needed in England and all settings, warn nurses
Safe staffing laws should be introduced across the whole of the UK and in all health and care settings, nurses have urged as they committed to lobby government more on the issue.
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NewsPublic health cuts 'playing around with people's lives', says RCN chief
Government plans to scrap bursaries in England, public health cuts, caps on pay for agency staff and the removal of the Department of Health’s nursing policy unit all came under fire from the chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing at the union’s annual congress.
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NewsSuspension of NICE staffing guidance sparks safety fears among nurses
The suspension of safe staffing guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has left almost three quarters of nurses worried that patient safety will suffer, a UK-wide survey has revealed.
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NewsGovernment confirms new 'nursing associate' role
Up to 1,000 trainees will begin in a new “nursing associate” role in 2016 to bridge the gap between healthcare support workers and registered nurses, under government plans announced today.
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HSJ LocalU-turn on plans for health visiting cuts at London council
Councillors at a local authority in north London have overturned proposals to potentially remove its entire health visiting budget by 2018, following a meeting last week.
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NewsNorth London council considers 60pc public health cuts
A north London council has laid out proposals to cut public health services including health visiting, drug and alcohol services, and sexual health services over the next three years by up to 60 per cent.
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NewsClinicians guilty of manslaughter after Leicester child death
A doctor and a nurse have been convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence of a child at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
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NewsNursing directors worry that 'finance is king' as winter looms
Directors of nursing have warned of their increasing concerns for patient safety as winter approaches, claiming the ‘pendulum is swinging’ towards trusts’ workforce decisions being led by financial considerations due to the escalating NHS deficit.
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NewsNMC approves introduction of nurse revalidation in April
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has today approved plans for the introduction of a major new system of competency checks for registered nurses and midwives, with the regulator’s chief executive describing it as a ‘historic’ moment.
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NewsGrowth of nurse workforce slows as 'NHS finances bite'
The growth rate in NHS nurse numbers in England has halved this year compared to last year, with experts claiming the slowdown could mark a return to trusts prioritising budgets over safe staffing.
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News'Incoherent' healthcare regulation needs 'radical overhaul'
Healthcare regulation in the UK is ‘incoherent’, ‘expensive’ and requires a ‘radical overhaul’ according to a review by the body which oversees the work of organisations such as the General Medical Council.
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NewsUnsocial hours pay would stay under Labour, says Burnham
Shadow heath secretary Andy Burnham has pledged not to cut unsocial hours payments for NHS staff if Labour wins the general election, but said he still planned to introduce a ‘seven-day service’ that provides care for people at whatever time they require.