Welcome to RCN Wales
Here you'll find news, events and opinions covering the health care issues in Wales, which includes the work that we do with the National Assembly for Wales, support for members and training and development opportunities brought to you by the RCN Wales Institute. At this point in time the content of this section of the website is only available in English.
Croeso i RCN Cymru
Fan hyn, fe welwch newyddion, digwyddiadau a barnau sy'n ymdrin â'r materion gofal iechyd yng Nghymru, sy'n cynnwys y gwaith a wnawn gyda Chynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, cymorth i aelodau a chyfleoedd hyfforddi a datblygu a gyflwynwyd i chi gan Athrofa RCN Cymru. Ar hyn o bryd, mae cynnwys y rhan hon o'r wefan ar gael yn Saesneg yn unig.
Update from Tina Donnelly, Director RCN Wales
She writes…
It has been a busy week for RCN Wales. I visited the intermediate care services in Gwent with Professor Khanna, Consultant Physician/Chief of Staff at Aneurin Bevan Health Board to look at how patient care is being delivered in new ways to help people remain in the community. Also in attendance were Sue Thomas, RCN in Wales Primary Care Adviser and Tracy Lenzy, RCN in Wales Media Officer.
Later I attended a dinner with Matt Wyatt and Julie Boyd from the National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Health care and Discharge Liaison Nurses from across Wales to discuss promoting the services of the nurses.
Lisa Turnbull, Policy Advisor, and I attended a meeting with Roger Williams Liberal Democrat MP and later attended a meeting David Davies conservative MP to discuss the RCN general election manifesto, Nursing counts. Later Dave Williams, RCN Wales Deputy Board Chair, and I hosted a pre-conference reception for the Welsh Liberal Democrats. Richard Jones, RCN Wales Deputy Director, Dave Williams and Lisa Turnbull attended the Welsh Liberal Democrats Conference Dinner.
Finally, my column in The Western Mail ran this week and the subject was sunbed usage. It is estimated that almost 80 percent of lifetime sun exposure occurs before the age of 18. One blistering sunburn during childhood could double the risk of skin cancer later in life. The RCN is supporting Cardiff North MP Julie Morgan’s private members bill which would ban under 18s from sun beds and ensure that all sun bed usage in England and Wales would be supervised. Health Secretary Andy Burnham is backing the bill, which has its second reading in the House of Commons on 29 January. The RCN debated the use of sun beds at its RCN Congress in 2002 which resulted in a clear majority of delegates calling for the statutory regulation of sun bed outlets. Nurses want to see tanning salons offering sun bed treatments for over 18s to be licensed, supervised and subject to routine inspections. It is clear that sun beds represent a health risk particularly to adolescents who are common users of these facilities. The lack of regulation of these facilities is a concern. An individual can set up a sun bed outlet without any training or knowledge of the health effects. This Bill would protect young people. Read the column in Wales Online.
Booking and attending Congress 2010
Find information about booking your place at Congress, accommodation, how to get to Bournemouth and details about the venue, from the Congress webpages.
What do you think? RCN membership survey in Wales
In May 2011 Wales will be electing a new Welsh Assembly Government. We know that there will be a lot of pressure on the politicians to make spending cuts so what should be protected first? Following our very successful influencing back in the election in 2007, the RCN in Wales will once again be campaigning strongly for nursing and health - but what do you think our priorities should be?
As our members you set the agenda. Please fill in our quick online survey (available in Welsh and English) at the link below to let us know what you think. As well as
influencing on behalf of nursing you could also win £100 shopping vouchers.