Frontline nurses get a front row view of the Lords

Published: 02 December 2011

Today (1 December), 11 nurses attended a debate in the House of Lords on frontline nursing care. The debate, tabled by Baroness Audrey Emerton, covered a variety of issues including nurse education and training, specialist nursing and safe staffing levels. The House heard from a total of 12 Peers, including Health Minister, Earl Howe.

Baroness Emerton has also been instrumental in enabling the RCN to put forward two amendments to the Health and Social Care bill. The first, which called for mandatory safe staffing levels was debated yesterday in the House of Lords and although withdrawn, it brought the issue to the attention of the House.

Speaking about the experience, newly qualified nurse, Salma Bilkis said:

“As a student nurse, juggling lectures and placements, it’s possible to feel disconnected from some political matters. Therefore it was very encouraging to hear first hand parliamentarians discussing issues that affect nurses on a daily basis. Nurses want to be able to provide safe and effective patient care, but when budgets are cut and we don’t have enough staff it becomes all the more challenging.”

RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said:

“I am very pleased that frontline nurses were able to meet with members of the House of Lords today. Peers have a hugely important role to play and have consistently shown a high level of interest in the RCN’s views on the Health and Social Care bill. The result of yesterday’s debate now gives us an excellent opportunity to follow up with the Minister and look at how staffing levels and ratios can be guaranteed in practice. The RCN has consistently said that staffing levels should be based on rigorous clinical evidence and should not be arbitrarily lowered in a short-sighted effort to save money.”

ends

Notes to Editors

Photos available on request
For further information, interviews or illustrations please contact the RCN Media Office on 0207 647 3633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/media

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, healthcare assistants 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.