HEE seeks views on new nursing support role

This consultation has now ended.

Healthcare employers, nurses, care assistants, health commissioners and other stakeholders are invited to comment on the design of a new nursing support role.

Health Education England (HEE) is keen to hear views on the new role, which will work alongside health care support workers and fully-qualified registered nurses to deliver hands on care, focusing on ensuring patients continue to get the compassionate care they deserve.  The new role will help bridge the gap between health and care support workers, who have a care certificate, and graduate registered nurses. It also offers opportunities for health care assistants to progress into nursing roles.

Launching the consultation during a speech in London today, Professor Ian Cumming, Chief Executive, Health Education England said:

There is wide support across the NHS for the principle of a new role that supports registered nurses. We are now inviting stakeholders and other interested groups to help us with the specific details such as the scope of the role and education and training requirements. I believe that this new role will help build the capacity and capability of the health and social care workforce and allow high quality care to be delivered to a diverse and ageing population.

Professor Lisa Bayliss Pratt, Director of Nursing, Health Education England said:

We need a new type of care worker with a higher skillset who can deliver person-centred care in all health and social care settings.  I believe that this new enhanced  role can assist, strengthen and complement the care given by graduate registered nurses. In addition it will create a career pathway that offers progression opportunities and gives job satisfaction to those who want to develop themselves in this important profession.

This is a fantastic opportunity to have your say in the development of a role that will play an important part in the delivery of future healthcare and meet the diverse health needs of people up and down the country.

The consultation seeks views on a range of issues, this includes:

• principles for the new care role
• learning outcomes that will need to be assessed to assure quality, safety and public confidence in the proposed role
• Identifying what academic achievement, if any, would be required, alongside practical skills and how this learning should be best delivered
• looking at whether or not the proposed role should be regulated
• agreeing the title of this new role. It has provisionally been given the title Nursing Associate.