Leaked documents reveal NHS plan to train 2,000 'nurse associates' to diagnose, administer drugs without supervision

Tuesday, November 22, 2016 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
Tags: NHS, pharmaceuticals, nurse associates

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(NaturalNews) Great Britain's socialized system of medicine is so' target='_blank'>http://www.medicalchoice.news/">so fraught with problems, that those who oversee it will soon have so-called "nursing associates" – rather than licensed and qualified physicians and nurse practitioners – begin administering pharmaceuticals and other risky treatments to the country's sickest patients, new reports indicate.

Leaked documents written up by the UK's National Health Service (NHS) reveal that health officials there are already and quietly in the process of training some 2,000 nursing associates to carry out these new duties, which will include handing out potentially deadly medicines and administering them to patients as a doctor would – except with no doctor present.

The Daily Mail Online reports that the first group of nursing associates is expected to begin training as soon as this upcoming January at 11 sites throughout the country. In as little as two years, according to Health Education England, these individuals will be "ready" to start delivering hands-on care to patients with absolutely no supervision from qualified nurses or doctors – a first for the country's allegedly "advanced" care protocols.

There's apparently such a shortage of qualified individuals in the UK to perform these duties – or a simple lack of necessary funding – that the NHS is having to cut corners by bringing in unqualified individuals to perform them instead. Patients will basically be receiving medical treatments from people http://www.corruption.news/" target="_blank">who aren't legally allowed to administer them, all under the sanctioning of the government.

"By the end of the programme, the trainee nursing associate will be able to deliver planned nursing interventions ... in a range of health and/or care settings under the direction of a registered https://www.naturalnews.com/nurse.html>nurse without direct supervision, delivering care at times independently in line with an agreed/defined plan of care," the document reads.

Are unqualified 'assistants' really taking the place of nurses and doctors in the UK?

Since the plan came to light, many have come out in condemnation of what it entails. Anne Marie Rafferty, a professor of nursing policy at King's College London, expressed concerns about the plan to the Nursing Times, warning that the new protocols could lead to all sorts of problems, including misdiagnoses http://science.naturalnews.com/malpractice.h... target="_blank">and medical malpractice.

"It does not appear to be well thought through and is a recipe for confusion within the nursing profession, the public and other professions such as doctors about who is doing what in clinical practice," she said.

"What are these people not able to do? What would be the sole preserve and prerogative in terms of scope of practice for the qualified registered nurse? It also raises questions over accountability because of the confusion it will create."

The Royal College of Nurses (RCN) previously expressed its own concerns about the plan, warning that it represents a potential slippery slope towards replacing qualified nurses and doctors with what amount to fill-in assistants that, though they might require less pay, will surely put patients at increased risk of complications or even death. A published study from back in February corroborates this, having found that the use of healthcare "assistants" increases patient risk of death.

Similar evidence out of the U.S. supports this, having found that hiring the American equivalent of nursing assistants increases not only the risk of mortality, but also the likelihood of poorer patient outcomes in many other areas.

"The nursing associate role must not be a substitute for registered nurses, who are required to make clinical judgements using a high level of experience and knowledge to assess complex situations," RCN chief executive and general secretary, Janet Davies, told the Nursing Times.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-38... target="_blank">DailyMail.co.uk

www.nursingtimes.net/news/policies-and-guida... target="_blank">NursingTimes.net