A NURSING organisation has urged health bosses in north Essex to extend a consultation over changes which could see district nurse positions cut from nine to five.

The Royal College of Nursing says NHS North East Essex’s plans would reduce the number of nursing hours by about 750 and would see more junior staff having to deal with complex requirements.

The primary care trust has conducted the six-week consultation to restructure its district nursing service.

It could cut the number of band seven nurses – nursing, health visitor and midwife team managers – in Tendring and Colchester and change working hours.

The consultation is due to end today. It has already been extended, after calls from the Royal College of Nursing, which claimed it was unfair because two of the weeks were taken up by the Christmas period.

Marilyn Martin, regional officer for the college, said she was “very concerned” about the plans.

She added: “The college supports the extension of available nursing time in order to meet the Government initiative of treating people closer to home and believes this helps to improve care for patients.

“However, it is unclear how reducing the number of senior, experienced district nurses available to support more junior colleagues and deliver care will benefit patients in any way.

“Without evidence to the contrary, we can only assume the reduction in the number of senior nurses is effectively a cost-cutting measure.

“College members have raised concerns the community nursing services are working to full capacity in order to meet increasing patient demand and these proposed cuts may lead to an inability to cope with patients needs.”

The Royal College of Nursing has held meetings with health bosses to encourage them to extend the consultation period and look at revising proposals.

Peter Richardson, spokesman for NHS North East Essex, said: “We would not wish to comment further at the moment until we have a chance to analyse the feedback from the consultation.”