The University of East Anglia has pulled a number of trainee nurses from the James Paget University Hospital – but insisted it is just a temporary measure.

The Gorleston hospital has had a difficult time in recent weeks, with two Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections criticising the care of older patients.

That led to MPs, including Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey, calling on hospital trust chairman John Hemming to resign, which he subsequently did.

And, while the hospital tries to get back on track, the UEA has decided to withdraw its student nurses and place them elsewhere

The decision was explained in a statement issued by the UEA.

It said: 'The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the UEA has a long standing partnership with the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Trust.

'Students from a range of health professional disciplines undertake practice experience at the trust and this is consistently well evaluated by students.

'A small number of students from the School of Nursing Sciences are placed in the trust at any one time (approximately 12-15 students) as part of a wide range of practice experiences they undertake during their course in different health care settings, both in hospitals and in the community.

'On Tuesday this week we decided, in consultation with the trust, to arrange alternative practice experiences for our pre-registration nursing students to free up staff time for a short period whilst the trust is busy with clinical audit activity.

'We intend to place pre-registration nursing students again as soon as possible.

'The students will be going to their new placements on Monday.'

Meanwhile, Great Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis welcomed 'positive signs' the hospital is taking to resolve the concerns, following a meeting he had yesterday with Dr Duncan Peacock, chairman of the staff representative committee.

dan.grimmer@archant.co.uk