Congress Report
Ethics Forum Steering Committee member Susan Bell gives her personal highlights from RCN Congress 2009
This year's theme at Congress was Counting on Care. After a two year break from attending Congress, I certainly chose a brilliant one to return to.
Arriving at the conference centre in Harrogate on a May Monday morning, you certainly knew something was afoot: there were numerous police everywhere. The rumour mill was buzzing - and, for once, the rumours were right. Within a matter of thirty minutes, we found ourselves staring at Prime Minister Gordon Brown walking about on the stage, speaking movingly about his experience of the NHS and how it helped him and his wife Sarah with their daughter and now their son. Mr Brown came across warmly and was genuine in his desire to address the current crisis in the NHS. He spoke without a script or prompts from his Health Minister, Ann Keane, herself a former nurse. He also took pre-arranged questions from the floor. It was nice, for once, to be thanked so publicly for what we do.
So what could follow the first appearance of a first Prime Minister at RCN Congress in 93 years? An appearance by the Leader of the Opposition, David Cameron! Mr Cameron seemed genuinely touched by the welcoming reception he received. David recently lost his son Ivan and expressed how much he owed to the NHS. Of course his speech had to be different - it was more policy based, but that was the right thing to do. We need to know what the Conservative Party would do if they gain power at the next General Election. Amongst his promises was the end to the repeated re-organisation of the NHS, to provide better balance within the nurse education system and to adopt zero tolerance of any form of violence towards nurses.
We also had the privilege from hearing from a dignity campaigner who has experienced the kindness of strangers as well as interviewing the rich and famous. At times Sir Michael Parkinson struggled to contain his emotion as he talked about his mother who recently lost her battle with dementia. It made me realise that as nurses we all need to ensure that we treat our patients with the compassion and dignity they deserve. How often as a nurse have you become inwardly frustrated by an elderly patient who just wants to talk when you feel you have so much more to do? Perhaps, if your patient is not your number one priority and you don't have an extra five minutes for them, this caring profession is not for you?
An important fringe event - that is, not part of the main debates or speakers - concerned assisted dying. I applaud the RCN for allowing this high profile event to be held in the main auditorium. A panel represented different views on this emotive topic. There were arguments in favour of providing higher quality of care at the end of life, rather than legalising assisted dying. All nurses would endorse providing such care - end of life should mean we deliver the highest quality of care at such an emotional time. No nurse would argue against providing adequate pain relief, but what about when there are no pharmacological options left? Let me make this clear: we are nowhere near able to address the issue without undertaking a full and exhaustive consultation across all specialities and all religious groups, and of the experience of those countries where euthanasia/assisted suicide is legal. It was a balanced discussion with great audience participation. If you are interested in seeing it, just log onto the RCN website and look for fringe events.
What about Congress matters for resolution and discussion? At first glance, the list seemed nothing special, but that's when you have to look carefully for something you might regret missing. Discussion started by looking at an implementation across the NHS of the same uniform where appropriate. There was a lively debate surrounding the issue of waste management, an area where we all have an obligation to try and improve the environment for our patients. Let's watch what we throw away that could actually be easily recycled rather than incinerated.
Another resolution I listened intently to was around sex workers' rights for equal access to health care. The RCN is the first union to endorse the right for up to four sex workers to operate together. After hearing the speakers I would be glad to participate in anything that helps these women to achieve safer working conditions. Already, anyone can access free condoms from their sexual health clinic, but it was also suggested we offer screening for sexually transmitted infections. Many women have no option but to turn to prostitution, for
example to support their family. How can we as a profession turn our back on them? We can't.
As always, the people who make me want to come back to Congress time and again are the students. Their passion and commitment to providing care to their patients is as infectious as when I was a student almost twenty years ago.
Finally, I would like to pass on some big thank-yous. As the forum ceases to exist, I say goodbye with sadness to my colleagues, especially Karen Saunders - apologies for nearly drowning you in a swimming bath (just ask her!) - and Chris Barber. Congress wasn't the same without the sweets and the rendition of "Tulips of Amsterdam". Thank you to Jane Denton, Kiera Jones, David Edwards, Anne Gallagher and Paul Wainwright for their insightful and thought-provoking views. And not forgetting Joe Thornton for arranging last minute accommodation in Harrogate!
Take care and see you soon.