There is a concern among specialist nurses working for the NHS that their jobs could be cut, according to new research.
A survey of 328 specialist and senior nurses by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) found that one-fifth think they are still at risk of redundancy, despite a predicted £2 billion surplus for the health service.
Some 45 per cent said they had been required to work outside their specialist area to make up for staff shortages, while 17 per cent claimed they were at risk of having their post downgraded.
RCN general secretary Peter Carter said that if any of these nurses lost their jobs, it could be detrimental to patients.
"We should be looking at ways to recruit more specialist nurses and keep those already working in the profession," he commented.
The RCN recently raised concerns about the large amount of paperwork that nurses face as part of their job.
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