RCN welcomes report on transforming health and social care

Published: 06 September 2012

The Royal College of Nursing has welcomed the publication of new evidence from the King’s Fund that supports a redesign of the way patient care is delivered.

Tom Sandford, Director of RCN England, said that nursing staff are at the forefront of developing new and innovative ways of working and that the public welcome being cared for closer to home.

“The RCN has been saying for some years that if health services are to meet the demands they face, the focus needs to shift to preventing ill health, managing patients with long term conditions and avoiding expensive hospital admissions,” he said.

A recent RCN survey showed that nursing staff in the community are facing cutbacks and rising workloads at a time when services need more investment.

The RCN is urging NHS managers, commissioners and the new Secretary of State for Health to consider the evidence from the King’s Fund, listen to clinical staff and instigate intelligent changes to services rather than focusing on service or staff cuts.