Healthcare assistant proposals are not enough

Published: 10 Jul 2013

AvMA has warned that the proposals in the Cavendish Review about Healthcare Assistants published today do not go far enough to protect patients and ensure appropriate standards amongst healthcare assistants. The report by Robert Francis QC following the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public inquiry had recommended regulation of healthcare assistants. However the Government is resisting this and instead limited the Cavendish review to looking at training and support.

 AvMA chief executive Peter Walsh said:   

“Whilst consistent training and a qualification is a step in the right direction, the Robert Francis report was unequivocal about the need for a register and some form of regulation for healthcare assistants. Without this there is inadequate protection for patients, with a small minority of healthcare assistants who are not fit to practise being free to move from one healthcare setting to another. Robert Francis saw the need for regulation after a forensic examination of the issues and hearing from all the experts. Fellow patients’ organisations and experts such as the Royal college of Nursing agree. The Department of Health must not be allowed to ignore this key recommendation from Francis and leave patients at risk”.