Nurses’ roles had to be extended to include, among others, the assessment of patients, which was currently considered to be strictly a doctor’s role, Parliamentary Secretary for Community Care, Mario Galea said.

Opening up the role of nurses would help ensure accessible and affordable good quality care and allow doctors and specialists more time to dedicate to more complicated and specialised care, he said.

Mr Galea was speaking during a primary health care conference entitled Developing Nursing Roles In Primary Health Centre Care.

He argued that the need for development in the nurse’s role was an issue that could no longer be ignored.