Years ago when I worked in the NHS (16 years) many of us thought the ending of Enrolled Nurses (EN) was a huge mistake.
At the time ENs took a two-year training course leaving them qualified to do many of the tasks that Registered Nurses did, thus giving wards a much better skill mix.
In addition, Nursing Assistants who had reached the top of their grade and had years of experience could also take a conversion course to make them Enrolled Nurses.
It was a pretty good system but of course someone just had to fiddle with it and end it. This huge mistake was compounded some years later by making nursing a degree course and now they’re even talking about replacing grants with bursaries!
This mistake has now been recognised in part for the error it was and a new plan to bring in Nursing Associates has been proposed. I wonder if the genius who did away with ENs and is no doubt enjoying his or her large pension, ever thinks what a stupid decision they pushed through to do away with ENs? I suspect not.
ANDREW (BILL) WELLS
Via email
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here