Caution urged on care of patients

Health campaigners today sounded a note of caution over a scheme which will see volunteers drafted in the help care for elderly patients at Stafford Hospital.

Cure the NHS founder, Julie Bailey, welcomed the move and said it would help vulnerable patients.

However, others have warned against "surrogate nurses" being used for free in place of care professionals who are "too posh to wash".

The warnings came after Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust appealed for volunteers yesterday. The trust said it was expanding a scheme already in operation at Cannock Hospital, which sees around 70 Age Concern helpers carrying out basic services.

However, Eccleshall man Ken Lownds from campaign group Keep Our NHS Public, said: "Keep Our NHS Public - North Staffs applauds people who volunteer to care for people in hospital but it worries that our hospital's plan is to provide care through volunteers that should be done by the permanent, professional staff," he said.

Ian Syme, from North Staffordshire Healthwatch, said he feared seeing nurses becoming "too posh to wash" and feed patientsand losing basic skills.

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust spokeswoman Sarah Hughes insisted the volunteers would not be carrying out nurses' duties and would mainly be providing "companionship".

For more information contact Elizabeth Gooch on 07919 167762.