Have your say on government e-petitions

Require NHS staff who insert cannulas to have refresher training every 3 years.

Submitted by chloe marsden on Sunday 26th October 2025

Published on Monday 1st December 2025

Current status: Open

Open until: Monday 1st June 2026

Current Signatures: 94
(count is updated approximately hourly)

Relevant Departments

Tagged with

3 Years ~ Doctor ~ England ~ Ensure ~ Mandatory ~ NHS ~ NHS England ~ NHS staff ~ NHS trusts ~ risk ~ Safety ~ skills ~ Staff ~ Standards ~ The NHS ~ training ~ work ~ Years

Petition Action

Require NHS staff who insert cannulas to have refresher training every 3 years.

Petition Details

Many patients experience unnecessary pain, bruising, and distress when doctors or other NHS staff have difficulty inserting cannulas, often needing multiple attempts. In some cases, staff have even re-used the same needle, which is unsafe and increases the risk of infection.

Additional Information

Skills fade over time, especially for staff who perform cannulation infrequently, yet refresher training isn’t required nationally and policies vary between NHS Trusts. The Government should work with NHS England to introduce mandatory refresher training and competency reassessment every three years. This would improve patient safety, reduce complications, and ensure consistent standards across the NHS.


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216.73.217.17 Wed, 24 Jun 2026 09:42:05 +0100