The introduction of personal health budgets will help nurses learn a whole new set of skills, according to sources from the NHS.

The idea is being piloted across 61 sites in England and those involved have suggested it would lead to a huge change in culture should it be rolled out across the UK.

Staff will need to adapt to spending longer periods with individuals in order to help them plan out their budget, it was claimed.

Karen Walker. of nursing skills council Skills for Health, suggested that those in nurse manager jobs would have a lot of work on their hands to ensure that their staff were being trained appropriately.

Speaking to Nursing Times, she said: "Some of these are skills around things such as brokerage, such as advocacy, the skills that allow people to become signposters and navigators, as well as just being just direct providers of care.

"This is not just around skills and it's not just about competence, but it's also about attitudes and behaviours."

Despite some reservations about the system, hsj.co.uk report that the Department of Health are remaining as committed as ever to ensuring that personal health budgets are introduced across the United Kingdom.