New nursing role introduced in Coventry and Warwickshire
19 July 2019
A group of trailblazing nursing associates are breaking new ground across Coventry and Warwickshire as they help improve care by bridging the gap between health care assistants and registered nurses.
20 of the 27 newly qualified nursing associates attended an event at Stratford Hospital on Friday, July 5, to celebrate qualifying and registering with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Local NHS organisations started working closely with Coventry University in 2016 to establish the requirements of the two-year foundation degree programme, with the first cohort of trainees starting in 2017.
Fiona Burton, Director of Nursing at South Warwickshire Foundation NHS Trust, said: “It’s fantastic news that our first cohort of nursing associates are now registered with the NMC and can begin caring for patients on our wards and in clinics. They are among the first in the country to qualify and are real pioneers of this new role. It is a brilliant example of how collaboration between local NHS organisations can have real benefits for patients, and will help us grow a skilled and dedicated workforce for the future in Coventry and Warwickshire.”
The role, created as part of the NHS’ plan to tackle the national nursing shortage, will contribute to the core nursing work enabling registered nurses to focus on more complex clinical care.
The NHS Long Term Plan, published in January 2019, sets out action to increase investment and expand the number of nursing associates and other new routes into nursing.
The first cohort of nursing associates to qualify and register with the NMC work at the following NHS Trusts in Coventry and Warwickshire:
- Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust
- George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust
- South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust