A HEALTH boss has spoken of his delight that a hospital has been given the go-ahead to recruit a nurse consultant.

Health Secretary Alan Milburn has given the nod to Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust to establish the new post of nurse consultant.

It is one of 141 such jobs selected from 300 applications from trusts across the country.

The nurse consultant will work within the general surgical unit based at Blackburn Infirmary, which includes a surgical assessment unit, two inpatient wards, together with associated facilities including the surgical day case unit, inpatient theatres and outpatient department.

Richard Gildert, director of nursing and quality, said: "The appointment of a nurse consultant in general surgery will enable the trust to improve nursing skills and practice and so improve standards of patient care.

"The role is an excellent opportunity for clinically based nurses to further their career without having to leave the patient's bedside. I also believe that the initiative will have a positive effect on nurse recruitment."

He said surgery had become an increasingly complex speciality, with huge patient dependancy and new service developments in the area of colo-rectal, upper gastro-

intestinal and vascular surgery.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.