TVN training and qualification
Vale of Leven Inquiry · The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry Report · Issued 24 November 2014 · Addressed to: NHS Health Boards (Scotland)
Source — verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
Health Boards should ensure that a nurse appointed as Tissue Viability Nurse (TVN) is appropriately trained and possesses, or is working towards, a recognised specialist post-registration qualification.
Vale of Leven Inquiry, The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry Report · 24 Nov 2014 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
Publicly available evidence relating to this recommendation:
- The Scottish Government's response indicated that accredited education programmes for specialist and advanced practice roles, including Tissue Viability Nurses, are available through Scottish higher education institutions and NHS Education for Scotland (NES).
- NMC standards for post-registration education and practice require specialist nurses to hold or be working towards recognised specialist qualifications. The NMC's revalidation process (from April 2016) requires continuing professional development relevant to the nurse's scope of practice.
- NHS Education for Scotland provides a framework for specialist and advanced nursing practice development, including tissue viability, wound care, and related specialisms.
Response — verbatim from government
●Scottish Government
Section 4.3 of the Scottish Government's response indicates that accredited education programmes for specialist and advanced practice roles, including for Tissue Viability Nurses, are available through universities and funded by NHS boards. The government provided £1 million in March 2012 to support increased postgraduate education for the existing workforce. The 'Setting the Direction' action plan will ensure these education programmes for specialist roles continue to be available and accessible across Scotland.
Scottish Government · 18 Jun 2015 Written response →
Evidence trail — what's actually happened since
- 1 Jan 2025 · Healthcare Improvement Scotland Excellence in Care framework covers nursing specialist training requirements. NES provides specialist training pathways including tissue viability nursing through the Turas Learn platform. View source → Reasonable Progress
Each entry above links to a primary source — gov.uk written statement, consultation response document, or inspection report. The Index does not characterise government intent; it tracks what has been published.
How this page is built
Source and Response are verbatim from primary documents. The Evidence trail records published activity since — written statements, consultation outcomes, inspection findings, parliamentary references. The Index does not paraphrase or characterise intent; it tracks what has been published. Where the evidence is the absence of action (a missed deadline, a slipped timetable), that absence is documented from primary sources rather than inferred.
This recommendation's data is verified periodically against primary sources. The Index is monitored for staleness weekly.