Brown and Cameron address delegates in historic day at Congress
Published: 11 May 2009
Gordon Brown has today (11 May 2009) become the first Prime Minister to address RCN members at Congress in the RCN's 93-year history. Mr Brown also answered questions from delegates on the key issues of school nursing, NHS pensions and safely reporting concerns about care. He also highlighted the work of the recently formed Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery, chaired by Ann Keen, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on which RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter sits. Mr Brown said the Commission was expected to report in the next few months and this will enhance the role and standing of nursing.
Mr Brown said the nation was indebted to nurses and highlighted his government's investment in nursing and health care. He acknowledged there was more to be done, even during an economic downturn, saying:
"The recession should be no excuse for not investing properly in the National Health Service, in nurses' pensions and in the best care that every person in the country deserves."
The Conservative leader David Cameron, also speaking at this morning at RCN Congress, said the NHS was a "fantastic fact of British life". He said that under a Conservative government, there would be no change in the principles underlying the health service. He also called for:
- the end to the repeated reorganisations of the NHS
- a better balance in nurse education
- zero tolerance of patients who were violent towards care staff.
Further information
- Watch Gordon Brown address RCN Congress
- Watch Gordon Brown answer questions from RCN Congress delegates
- Watch David Cameron address RCN Congress
- Watch David Cameron answer questions from RCN Congress delegates.
Read the RCN news story: Peter Carter joins expert group to review the nurse and midwife role (10 March 2009).
Read the transcript of the Gordon Brown's speech on the Number 10 website.