hospital care, wants to use the pay body as a political tool. Its members have again been humiliated and should resign in protest. Sally Harding, by email
WE MUST HEED THOSE WHO CAUTION AGAINST LEGALISING ASSISTED DYING In response to ‘The comforting hand in assisted dying’ (Features August 27), I am concerned about assertions that, provided there are effective safeguards, we can give the right to die to those who wish to hasten their death, while protecting those who do not. We need to listen to the warnings of people living and working in countries where euthanasia or assisted suicide has been legal for some time. The Dutch ethicist Theo Boer, who supported the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia in the Netherlands, cautions against legalising assisted dying in the UK (bit.ly/1loFYgH). Professor Boer believes the very existence of a law would progressively turn assisted dying from a last resort to the norm. The argument about safeguards was used in relation to the 1967 Abortion Act. David Steel, the former Liberal leader who championed abortion reform, stated that the act was intended to stop backstreet abortions. There were warnings about a slippery slope – and so it has proved. Despite various safeguards, we now effectively have abortion on demand. It seems to me that in matters of life and death, you cannot create autonomy for the few without taking away adequate safeguards for the many. Alison Twycross, head of department for children’s nursing, London South Bank University
WILL NURSES FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION BE TESTED ON THEIR ENGLISH? I have read about the forthcoming changes to the assessment of nurses wishing to work in the UK, specifically that nurses from outside the European Economic Area will now take a two-stage competency test (News August 6 and September 3, Letters August 20 and September 3).
This will comprise an online multiple-choice exam and a practical objective structured clinical examination. The aim is for nurses to be assessed against the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s standards for pre-registration education. Like many others who teach medical English, I have been eagerly awaiting an updated system for the assessment of language skills in all nurses coming to the UK. Are there any proposed changes with regard to the assessment of nurses from the European Union before the point of registration? Virginia Allum, by email
TWEETS OF THE WEEK Some trusts are struggling to recruit. Expecting staff to work unsocial hours for no extra will cause staff to look elsewhere @MunroDanielle
Why would any nurse work a night shift, Sunday or public holiday at short notice without extra pay? #NScomment@NSeditor
Because that’s the hours of the job. No one ever thought nursing was 9-5 @LeaLizzyHoward
IF £500,000 IS THE GOING RATE FOR A GOOD PIECE OF PUBLIC ART, SO BE IT The Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal needs another £96,000 to reach its £500,000 target (Letters August 20 and August 27). Catherine Salter writes that paying £500,000 for a statue is a ludicrous waste of money, while Naomi Lyth says it will provide a fitting public memorial for Mrs Seacole’s extraordinary achievements. In a sense, both are right. Half a million pounds does seem a lot for a statue. But then it is being designed and built by Martin Jennings, a British sculptor with an international reputation. His statue of poet laureate Sir John Betjeman at St Pancras railway station in London is magnificent and much loved. I am confident that his statue of Mrs Seacole will also be well received. If £500,000 is the going rate for a piece of good public art, so be it. Catherine Salter says she would rather the money be spent on new equipment and facilities, more staff, research, buying medicines, an education fund for nurses and crisis money for struggling nurses. But there would be little change out of £500 million for such an investment. As for celebrating the life, work and achievements of an iconic, pioneering black nurse, I am all for it. Helena Soni, by email
This could be the final straw. I care about patients but am not a charity. Fair pay is essential! @marriott_sue
Plus lots of other organisations pay more wages for those hours. I worked at Morrisons on Sunday & it was time and a 1/2 @EmmaWaters92
Hearing view that nurse mentors/ assessors in clinical should ‘self select’. What? It’s a professional responsibility, not a lifestyle choice @PDarbyshire
Last ever shift as a student nurse. In many ways, I honestly thought this day would never arrive. So happy and proud that it has @FloNursingtales
SO September 11 – last day in placement today as a student nurse. All your hard work has paid off. Well done everyone @nursingSUni
Follow Nursing Standard @NurseStandard and join the #NScomment chat on Thursdays at 12.30pm
NURSING :: voluses 29without no 2 :: permission. 2014 33 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 14, 2015. For personalseptember use only. No10other Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
WE MUST HEED THOSE WHO CAUTION AGAINST LEGALISING ASSISTED DYING In response to ‘The comforting hand in assisted dying’ (Features August 27), I am concerned about assertions that, provided there are effective safeguards, we can give the right to die to those who wish to hasten their death, while protecting those who do not. We need to listen to the warnings of people living and working in countries where euthanasia or assisted suicide has been legal for some time. The Dutch ethicist Theo Boer, who supported the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia in the Netherlands, cautions against legalising assisted dying in the UK (bit.ly/1loFYgH). Professor Boer believes the very existence of a law would progressively turn assisted dying from a last resort to the norm. The argument about safeguards was used in relation to the 1967 Abortion Act. David Steel, the former Liberal leader who championed abortion reform, stated that the act was intended to stop backstreet abortions. There were warnings about a slippery slope – and so it has proved. Despite various safeguards, we now effectively have abortion on demand. It seems to me that in matters of life and death, you cannot create autonomy for the few without taking away adequate safeguards for the many. Alison Twycross, head of department for children’s nursing, London South Bank University
WILL NURSES FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION BE TESTED ON THEIR ENGLISH? I have read about the forthcoming changes to the assessment of nurses wishing to work in the UK, specifically that nurses from outside the European Economic Area will now take a two-stage competency test (News August 6 and September 3, Letters August 20 and September 3).
This will comprise an online multiple-choice exam and a practical objective structured clinical examination. The aim is for nurses to be assessed against the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s standards for pre-registration education. Like many others who teach medical English, I have been eagerly awaiting an updated system for the assessment of language skills in all nurses coming to the UK. Are there any proposed changes with regard to the assessment of nurses from the European Union before the point of registration? Virginia Allum, by email
TWEETS OF THE WEEK Some trusts are struggling to recruit. Expecting staff to work unsocial hours for no extra will cause staff to look elsewhere @MunroDanielle
Why would any nurse work a night shift, Sunday or public holiday at short notice without extra pay? #NScomment@NSeditor
Because that’s the hours of the job. No one ever thought nursing was 9-5 @LeaLizzyHoward
IF £500,000 IS THE GOING RATE FOR A GOOD PIECE OF PUBLIC ART, SO BE IT The Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal needs another £96,000 to reach its £500,000 target (Letters August 20 and August 27). Catherine Salter writes that paying £500,000 for a statue is a ludicrous waste of money, while Naomi Lyth says it will provide a fitting public memorial for Mrs Seacole’s extraordinary achievements. In a sense, both are right. Half a million pounds does seem a lot for a statue. But then it is being designed and built by Martin Jennings, a British sculptor with an international reputation. His statue of poet laureate Sir John Betjeman at St Pancras railway station in London is magnificent and much loved. I am confident that his statue of Mrs Seacole will also be well received. If £500,000 is the going rate for a piece of good public art, so be it. Catherine Salter says she would rather the money be spent on new equipment and facilities, more staff, research, buying medicines, an education fund for nurses and crisis money for struggling nurses. But there would be little change out of £500 million for such an investment. As for celebrating the life, work and achievements of an iconic, pioneering black nurse, I am all for it. Helena Soni, by email
This could be the final straw. I care about patients but am not a charity. Fair pay is essential! @marriott_sue
Plus lots of other organisations pay more wages for those hours. I worked at Morrisons on Sunday & it was time and a 1/2 @EmmaWaters92
Hearing view that nurse mentors/ assessors in clinical should ‘self select’. What? It’s a professional responsibility, not a lifestyle choice @PDarbyshire
Last ever shift as a student nurse. In many ways, I honestly thought this day would never arrive. So happy and proud that it has @FloNursingtales
SO September 11 – last day in placement today as a student nurse. All your hard work has paid off. Well done everyone @nursingSUni
Follow Nursing Standard @NurseStandard and join the #NScomment chat on Thursdays at 12.30pm
NURSING :: voluses 29without no 2 :: permission. 2014 33 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 14, 2015. For personalseptember use only. No10other Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
