Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHS'Skills passport' proves hit with nurses
A “skills passport” for nurses moved a step nearer following a successful pilot by the health sector training council Skills for Health.
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The one-year pilot project was conducted among nursing staff at seven NHS trusts and sought to test “proof of concept” for the passport, which allows workers to create a verified online record of their skills, qualifications and experience that can be viewed by prospective or existing employers.
Skills for Health said feedback had indicated strong support for its potential to reduce duplication of training and pre-employment checks each time a nurse moves between employers.
Deputy chief nursing officer for England David Foster said: “The nursing workforce has repeatedly called for some form of competency passport to support the modernisation of nursing careers and this pilot was a direct response to that call.
“I am delighted that it has not only confirmed the case for a skills passport but also highlighted a range of potential additional benefits for employers, health workers throughout the UK, universities and, most importantly, those who use health services.”
Skills for Health said it will now be working with partners to explore the potential to test the passport among other sectors of the health workforce, before a possible nationwide roll-out.
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Readers' comments (2)
Anonymous | 28-Aug-2010 1:01 pm
Sounds like a plan - maybe recruitment won't take so blinkin long! - that's if there's any jobs going, lol
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tracey scothern | 29-Aug-2010 7:39 am
no jobs i am afraid, the government says that 300 hospital beds and 300 nursing jobs must go and thats only in ddarlington and durham !!!!!
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