The first of a new breed of so-called 'super nurses' to be employed in Sussex has taken up her post.

Vanessa Wright will take on the role at South Downs Health NHS Trust which combines working directly with children and a management role involving planning, training and research.

The job has been created as part of a Government drive to encourage experienced nurses to stay in the profession by allowing them to progress to the top of their profession while keeping a hands-on role with patients.

Vanessa, who started her career as a nursery nurse before training to work in hospitals and then as a health visitor, believes the new initiative, first announced by Tony Blair a year ago, is a welcome one.

She said: "In the past the only way I could have progressed further up the career ladder was to go into management.

"It came to the point where I had to decide whether I wanted to go into management and lose the contact with people, one of the things I enjoyed most, or stay put.

"I do enjoy management work but this new job allows me to combine it with clinical work."

South Downs Health NHS Trust is the first health trust in Sussex to create a super-nurse role and other new nurse consultant posts are planned for the future.

Vanessa's post, as a nurse consultant for looking after children, will see her working to improve the health of children in Brighton, Hove and Lewes who are in local authority care or living with foster families.

Nationally, children in care tend to have some of the poorest health with low immunisation uptake, high incidence of asthma and behavioural problems. Some also have disabilities.

Vanessa, who is in the second year of a masters degree at the Tavistock Clinic in London, will compile research on improvements in health care for these youngsters and audits to compare the situation locally with the national picture.

She said: "This is the first time a nurse has taken on the role of looking after these children's health, previously it was divided between everybody who saw them. But if children in care are moved, their health needs can be forgotten. For example if a child is moved to new foster carers on the far side of Brighton and has dental problems or asthma I will make sure their treatment is followed up and the new carers understand the child's needs.

"Children in care can also be absent from school a lot and miss health promotion like contraceptive drugs and general health advice which I will help make sure they get."

Partnership is a key aspect of the new role which will see her working closely with other health professionals, as well as teachers and social workers.

Lisa Rodrigues, nurse executive for South Downs Health said: "This is good news for children and for nursing as a whole.

"The appointment of nurse consultants improves the opportunity for health improvement and allows nurses to make progress in their careers while maintaining a clinical role."

A second new super-nurse is due to start work in the Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Sussex Hospital in December.