RCN hosts reception to pay tribute to inspirational work of defence nurses
Published: 12 March 2008
The Ministry of Defence and the RCN will applaud the work of military and civilian nurses who work on the front line in Iraq and Afghanistan at a reception held in their honour tonight.
The reception follows a visit by Dr Peter Carter, the RCN’s General Secretary & Chief Executive, to Iraq in July last year. The event will celebrate the bravery, heroism and dedication of the country’s defence nurses and the valuable contribution they make to military personnel deployed on operations.
Dr Carter said:
“A lot is asked of the Armed Forces and understandably their medical care is a high priority. I was extremely impressed by the world class standard of nursing care that I saw on my trip to Basra last year. Our members are working in some of the most difficult and complex situations that I have ever come across and I wanted to go and understand for myself the challenges that they face.
“What impressed me most,” said Dr Carter, “was the immense bravery of both the troops and the health care professionals who are working alongside them. It is not until you see it for yourself that you can really acknowledge the difficult and traumatic situations that people are dealing with at all times and I applaud the respect and dignity which they show in their work.
“The quality of health care that I witnessed was second to none and relatives of serving forces can be assured that their loved ones would receive the best attention should they unfortunately become ill or injured. I was especially impressed by the caring and supportive leadership and teamwork and the efficient systems and procedures that have been set up to deal with acute injuries.”
Over 150 defence nurses are expected at the reception at RCN Headquarters which will also be addressed by Defence Minister Derek Twigg.