Staff in senior positions such as nurse manager jobs in the NHS could soon see the administrative burden of recruitment eased, as a "skills passport" has received a ringing endorsement and may be given a full, national rollout.

The "Skills Passport" is a proposed online record of an individual workers skills, qualifications and experience. It aims to help prospective or existing employers check the abilities of their staff and candidates so that duplicate training can be avoided where it isn't needed. This is particularly important for the health care sector as often staff moving between employers are required to take statutory mandatory training when starting a new role, even if they have already done a similar course in their previous position.

Employees are responsible for updating their own skills records but the online-accessible 'passport' must be verified by line managers when leaving or entering a new position. If extended, the passport would likely apply to all front line roles within the NHS from physiotherapist jobs to senior practitioner jobs.

After a year long pilot, the passport system has met with approval and endorsement from the UK's health skills council, Skills for Health. This has boosted the prospect of a national rollout for the scheme, which was first recommended in the Government's "Modernising Nursing Careers - Setting the Direction" consultation in 2006.

"This pilot has demonstrated there is clear 'proof of concept' for a passport for the health sector," said John Rogers, CEO of Skills for Health. "It is a very exciting tool with huge potential to deliver real benefits to all health sector employers and staff members."