Wednesday 12 October 2016
For immediate release
Nursing associates should not be nurses on the cheap, says UNISON
Responding to the announcement today (Wednesday) by Health Education England that more than 2,000 people will be trained as nursing associates over the coming months, UNISON head of health Christina McAnea said:
“These new roles could help improve the career prospects of existing healthcare assistants who already provide vital support to the NHS. But they should not be seen simply as another cheap alternative to registered nurses.
“There’s still a desperate need for more nurses and the government must drop its foolhardy plan to scrap the student bursary. Ministers must also do all they can to give a leg up to existing healthcare assistants so they can qualify as nurses and be paid accordingly.
“At the moment, far too many healthcare assistants are doing the jobs of nurses but being paid much less than them.”
Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes T: 020 7121 5255 M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7121 5463 M: 07778 158175 E: l.chinchen@unison.co.uk