Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSStudents able to opt out of helping with pandemic
Nursing students will not be forced to carry out NHS work in the event of an escalation of the second swine flu surge, according to Department of Health guidance.
It also suggests that decisions on whether to pay student nurses in this situation will be a matter for local trusts to decide, based on need.
DH guidance published last week states: “Students will be invited to ‘opt in’ to undertaking NHS work. Students who opt-in to undertaking NHS work may do so on a paid or voluntary basis. If they do so on a paid basis, they should be paid at a rate appropriate for their contribution – whether they have opted for clinical or administrative duties.
“Whether employed on a paid or voluntary basis, students will need to be issued with an honorary contract by the employer,” it says.
“Students who are close to graduation should be approached in the first instance as their knowledge and skills should be at higher level to other students in the earlier part of their studies,” it adds.
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Readers' comments (1)
Anonymous | 24-Nov-2009 6:11 pm
In fostering the notion of team work, would it not be useful for all those working in the NHS environment to put together in a time of pending crisis? I do not think that opting out should be an option, however I do appreciate that students should not be expected to function at the same level as qualified practitioners.
I think that Trusts should work with Universities that provide healthcare related training to define a scope of practice for student (who already have police clearnace) to ensure that basic care needs of patients are met, should the pressures on qualified staff increase.
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