'We need all of you and more of you' – CNO's message to conference

Combating student attrition and encouraging more people to become learning disability nurses were themes that dominated this year's Positive Choices conference, reports Christine Walker

England's chief nursing officer Jane Cummings has pledged to support moves to increase the number of learning disability students coming into the profession.

'We need all of you and more of you,' she told an audience of about 450 delegates at this year's Positive Choices conference. Her statement came after an announcement that there is to be a new 'fast track' programme for graduates to attract them into learning disability (LD) nursing – a move to halt falling numbers in LD nursing courses and concerns there are not enough nurses taking up the field of practice.

'We need to do more to build the right workforce'

'Nurses are some of the most committed people I have ever met and with learning