David RyeDavid Rye

OBE, BA(Hons), RGN, RMN, RNT

David Rye was awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing in 1998 for his contribution to nurse education and practice development and his outstanding nursing leadership.

David is currently an independent nursing and health care management consultant, with an unparalleled track record of contribution to the development of nursing and of health care in general.

David undertook psychiatric nursing training and post-registration general training, qualifying in 1962. He then pursued a mainstream career in nursing education, qualifying as a nurse tutor in 1967. His last teaching post was as Director of Nurse Education at the North West Surrey Group School of Nursing.

David has been at the cutting edge of nursing development since 1977 when he joined the RCN as the Director of Professional Activities with responsibility for the professional work of the RCN. During his time at the RCN David presided over a significant growth in specialist membership activity. His creative leadership enabled a wide range of nursing initiatives to be established, the most notable of which was the RCN’s original work on standards of nursing care. This development was of importance for both the profession and patients, a fact recognised by his involvement with a number of patient representative groups.

David’s knowledge of, and passion for, nursing education led him to establish close links with a number of politicians at ministerial level on key issues in nursing, including the organisation of new nursing legislation in 1979 which set up new regulatory arrangements for the professions. Immediately before leaving the RCN, David was Secretary to the RCN Commission on Nursing Education which reported in 1985 and spearheaded the way for nursing education to be integrated into higher education.

On leaving the RCN in 1985, David became a Fellow in Nursing Management at the King’s Fund College. The management development programmes he established and directed were very successful and he continued to run them for many years after he left. During this time David was commissioned by the World Health Organization to devise and direct a management development programme for senior nurses in Europe.

Since 1987, he has built up an independent consultancy role. His portfolio includes teaching on a wide range of management development programmes and undertaking organisational development projects in the NHS and higher education. David has been an external lecturer for the University of London, and from 1994 to 1996 was Visiting Professor at the Institute of Nursing, Leeds University.

Throughout his career David has made a diverse contribution to the nursing profession through his roles as a member of South West Thames Regional Health Authority; Chair of South West Thames Regional Nurse Training Committee; Chair of the UK Standing Committee on Overseas Student Affairs; Chair of the Joint Committee of Professional Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Associations and a member of the UK Joint Professional Committee for Primary Health Care; Vice-Chair and non-executive Director of Bournewood Community and Mental Health NHS Trust in Chertsey; Visiting Professor to the Faculty of Health Studies, Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College; member of the editorial board of Advanced Nursing; Consultant Editor of Nursing Management Journal and trustee at the Smith & Nephew Foundation. David has held many offices at the RCN, ranging from branch chair to serving on the RCN Council from 1969 to 1973. He was a member of the RCN Institute Board of Governors and President of the RCN North West Surrey Branch.

David has brought innovation and creativity to the profession of nursing through the diverse contributions he has made over a sustained period. His teaching and mentoring have helped many nurses at all levels in their professional development and research. He is recognised as a leader of nursing development and nursing education and has made a widespread contribution to the promotion and development of the nursing profession.

David is currently Visiting Professor to the Faculties of Health at South Bank University and Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College. His main subject areas are leadership, health services management, organisational development and mental health services. He is Chair of Woking Mind and a Board Member of Woking Mental Health Resource Centre.

Publications

David has made regular contributions to professional journals and textbooks and he edited the journal Senior Nurse for eight years. A few examples of his many publications include:

  • All change in the NHS, Nursing Management, 1996
  • Who needs consultancy? Nursing Management, 1995
  • The future of nursing education, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1985
  • Shaping health policy: a UK perspective, Nursing Leadership Forum, 5, 3, Spring 2001, Springer Publishing
  • Career changes for nurses, Hawker Publications, 1993
  • Nursing in the twentieth century, Faber, 1982