Importance of all healthcare professionals should be acknowledged

Editor - Boughey and Norman seem to have missed my point, as they write they were disturbed by my views of the governments budget resources for the health service.¹ Not once in my earlier piece did I describe nurses as “little more than glorified healthcare assistants.”¹ By drawing this conclusion they have displayed the type of knee jerk reaction that the media rejoices in sensationalising, as I believe that nurses do attract more public sympathy and act as political “weapons” more than doctors.

I wonder about their views on other members of the hospital team. The phrase “glorified healthcare assistants” is derogatory to the roles of both nurses and healthcare assistants. Nurses are undeniably more trained and play a more central part in the management of patients, but we must not belittle the role of auxiliaries. Many auxiliaries that I have encountered are studying for extra qualifications and possess a great deal of practical knowledge and experience. In my employment as an auxiliary I have been aided immensely by both nurses and auxiliaries, all of whom, particularly on learning that I am a medical student, have most graciously offered as much help and advice as possible for both my immediate and future duties. In doing so I have been able to improve both my practical skills and my skills in communicating with patients, and am certain I will be a better doctor for having done so.

What I was intending to highlight in my letter was the disparity between medicine and all the so called professions allied to medicine, not just nursing but also physiotherapy, chiropody, etc. All of these careers require a high amount of training and self sacrifice, and a range of varying roles and responsibilities. But for efficient patient care we need a fully motivated and integrated system in which these professions can work together, not the “doctors versus everyone else” attitude that clearly still exists, as shown by the underlying tone of Normans words. Nurses are an essential commodity, but so are doctors. I am simply calling for this to be recognised and for equality to be complete, not just at the convenient discretion of those in authority.

1. Boughey P, Norman R. Nurses bursaries are a good idea. studentBMJ 2002;10:251. (July.)
2. Thomas H. Budget does not consider whole NHS picture. studentBMJ 2002;10:206. (June.)