NHS accident and emergency training to expand
Published on 28 May 2013 10:30 AM
More doctors will be given training in emergency care as part of an effort to address staff shortages in A&E departments.
The measure is included as part of an overhaul of NHS staff training in England announced this week by the Government.
In its mandate for Health Education England (HEE), the Government has also said that the number of NHS staff with dementia training will reach 100,000 by March next year.
It also pledged that the NHS will have a sufficient number of midwives and maternity staff to ensure that all expectant mothers receive personalised one-to-one care.
More nurses will also spend part of their training in the community under the new plans.
The 'most precious resource' of the NHS
Describing staff as the 'most precious resource' of the NHS, Health Minister Dan Poulter said everything should be done to make sure they 'have the right values, training and skills to deliver the very highest quality of care for patients'.
The new mandate is supported by a £5 million budget and will help to boost the skills of existing staff while also training up the next generation of medical professionals, he explained.
Dr Poulter added: 'As people are living longer with more complex medical and care needs, so must we ensure that our NHS workforce has the right skills and values to provide more care in the community for older patients as well as to give each and every child the very best start in life.'
Avoiding a repeat of Mid-Staffordshire
In a foreword to the document written jointly with the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, the Health Minister cited the 'terrible events at Mid-Staffordshire Foundation Trust' and said it is vital that staff are able to provide 'high quality compassionate care' to patients.
The new HEE targets state that 100,000 staff will have foundation level dementia training by March 2014, half of medical students will go on to become GPs and at least half of all student nurses will do a community placement as part of their training by March 2015.
A 5-year plan will be in place by autumn 2013 to make sure staffing levels and training provision is appropriate across the health service.
There is also a plan outlined in the mandate to support the progression of healthcare assistants into nursing by autumn 2014, and to establish minimum training standards for healthcare assistants by spring 2014.
Copyright Press Association 2013