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Cutting specialist nursing services is a 'false economy' as the role of specialist nurses can help save the NHS millions, according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

Specialist nurses can help reduce patient complications and readmissions, and provide long-term management of conditions. The RCN has asked for guaranteed funding to be provided for specialist nurses to avoid further cutbacks.

In a survey of over 300 specialist nurses and 60 health organisations it found that nearly two thirds felt that patients needing specialist nursing were not receiving it. Nearly half identified problems with accessing specialist care and, of those, over two thirds said that specialist nurses were overworked and could not take on more patients.

RCN chief executive Dr Peter Carter said: 'Whoever wins the next election will need to demonstrate a commitment to save not just these posts, but the skills and experience of the people who fill them.

'While the temptation may be to cut or downgrade specialist nursing roles, this would be a false economy which would only add to the growing cost of treating long-term conditions.'

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