Safety fears as UK hospitals use nurses to cover for doctors due to shortage of medics

Exclusive: Advanced practitioners are being deployed to cover doctor rota gaps across the NHS, figures show

UK hospitals are using nurses to cover for doctors because of an NHS-wide shortage of medics, raising fears that “substitute doctors” may provide inferior care.

Health professionals known as advanced practitioners – who are mainly senior nurses – are undertaking roles usually performed by doctors in A&E, neonatal units, critical care and other areas.