Collaboration in the making

Published: 10 December 2012

The Royal College of Nursing’s strategic plan highlights the need for collaboration with other colleges and stakeholders and in early November David Quayle and I did just that.  We met representatives from the relatively newly formed (2010) Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine.

The topic of the meeting was “Collaborating for Quality”.  The faculty has put together a group to investigate the organisations active within the field, their capabilities and willingness to work collaboratively in developing the intensive care speciality for the benefit of patients. The group visiting the RCN included Chairman Sir John Temple; Dr John Cohen, Dean of the School Medicine, Brighton; and Head of Faculty David Williams.

David and I gave a comprehensive overview of the workings of the forum and its place within the RCN along with how we work with other organisations. Since the abolition of the role of critical care lead at the Department of Heath and intensive care adviser there has been a breakdown in communication between the Department of Health and intensive care organisations. Further, this seems to have been the catalyst for the overall loss of communication between critical care organisations. Our view was that an overarching organisation which included all relevant stakeholders and met regularly to discuss improving research, sharing best practice and developing the speciality of intensive care would be a necessary step. 

David and I both agreed that it was a positive meeting. We are promised a copy of the report when the faculty has finished the information gathering exercise and we will keep you updated in turn.

Sheila Goodman
Deputy Chair and Link members co-ordinator