TWO Bolton nurses have been called on to help reshape the National Health Service.

Karen Castille, a senior nurse in the Royal Bolton Hospital's Accident and Emergency Service, has been appointed director of the emergency services programme for the National Patients' Access Team.

And health care assistant Dawn Killey is to assist the passage of a new NHS action plan -- which she helped to formulate.

Dawn, from Atherton, will be on a task force looking at ways of implementing plans to modernise the workforce of the NHS.

The 34-year-old mother-of-three said: "I was involved in the original drawing up of the NHS action plan. They wanted the opinions of front line staff and I was chosen.

"I was very pleased to see many of my suggestions included and am now looking forward to helping implement them."

Karen has been "seconded" from her usual job for two years to look at ways in which trolley waits in accident and emergency departments can be alleviated for patients.

She will head a team of full-time project managers who have been appointed in 13 hospital trusts around the country to look at the issues surrounding why patients are kept waiting.

Karen said: "Although the flashpoints occur in A and E, the problems which cause them rarely occur there."

She will draw together experiences and suggestions in a report due to be presented to Health Secretary Alan Milburn in April and will spend next year travelling the country, spreading the best practice to all health authorities.

"For the first time ever we are able to stand back and look at what might be possible," said Karen.

"Everyone on the team is fresh from the shop floor . They have a real role and the inspiration to make it better for patients."