Nurses are the rock upon which the NHS is built says RCN
Published: 28 August 2007
Responding to David Cameron’s speech today on nursing Dr Peter Carter, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said:
“All the evidence shows that patients benefit if we have enough nurses with enough time to do their jobs. Patients get fewer infections, have less falls and get better more quickly. That is why David Cameron’s comments today on nurses are significant.
“All too often workforce planning can seem like a rollercoaster ride with surplus following shortage, so when newly qualified nurses cannot get a job it is nothing short of a scandal. David Cameron’s pledge to look at guaranteeing newly qualified nurses a year’s NHS employment is a step forward. It would be good for nurses, and good for patients.
“It is true that nurses do have a vocation, and that they do this job because they care about their patients, but making sure that they are rewarded for their dedication and professionalism is also important if we are going to keep the nurses we have and attract people into the profession.”
Notes to Editors
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Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.