Identification of the development needs for the emergency care nursing workforce

In 2000, the government launched their agenda to modernise the National Health Service to deliver high quality care. Within this agenda, Emergency Care provision was seen as a priority. Primarily national targets were set to reduce waiting times in Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments to no more than 4h from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge. National targets to improve access were further expanded into other facets of Emergency Care which together has resulted in major changes in the provision and delivery of emergency care. These changes have resulted in new ways of working across traditional professional and organisational boundaries resulting in the development of new professional roles; new services such as nurse led minor injury units, walk in centres, nurse practitioners and telephone triage in Out of Hours services. Locally, emergency care was a key priority in Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority. As a result the Workforce Development Directorate commissioned this project to scope the nursing workforce to identify nursing staff numbers; roles and titles; and educational preparation. Variations of new nursing roles and titles: educational preparation for all nursing staff; nursing staff establishments compared to national recommendations in particular Emergency Nurse Practitioners, Registered Children's Nurses and Healthcare Assistants and Out of Hours provision are key themes that have been presented together with recommendations.