Randerson presses Minister on community nursing strategy

2.50.10pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 16th Jan 2008

Jenny Randerson pressed the minister on the proposed nursing strategy

Wales' Health Minister refused to increase Community Nursing training places, which have been cut in recent years, under questioning from Jenny Randerson today.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Jenny Randerson pressed the Minister for Health and Social Care during question time on the timescale for a strategy for developing community nursing. The strategy was promised as a result of a Welsh Liberal Democrat debate last year. During Health Minister's Questions in the Chamber today, the Minister responded by promising that work would be underway by the summer.

Jenny Randerson said: "I welcome the commitment to a timescale for the community nursing strategy but am concerned by the Minister's refusal to commit to an increase in training places.

"The Assembly Government cut the number of commissioned community nursing training places in Wales by some 17% earlier this year. An increase in the number of these places needs to be an essential part of the impending strategy.

"I am glad that the strategy will be underway shortly as it takes a long time for the commitment to more nurses to filter through to services on the ground."

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