Nurses driving up standards across the NHS
Published: 15 October 2008
In response to the Healthcare Commission's 2008 Annual Health Check, Dr. Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said:
"This report shows that the nursing team are leading the way in delivering both dramatic improvements in quality of care and better value for NHS money. When Trusts and Government put their faith in innovative, nurse-led programmes such as the Productive Ward, nurses are freed up to spend more time with patients and can provide a higher standard of care.
"However, it is astonishing that a quarter of Trusts are still failing to meet all of the core standards on tackling healthcare acquired infections, at a time when fighting infections should be the number one priority. Just because a recent target on combating MRSA has been met, Government and Trusts should not believe that the fight against infections is done and dusted.
"More importantly, for continued improvements to be made, the Government must maintain NHS spending for the long term despite other financial pressures. The RCN urges the Prime Minister to stick to his pledge that health spending will be guaranteed in the face of the global economic crisis."
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Notes to editors
For further information, interviews or illustrations please contact the RCN Media Office on 0207 647 3633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit www.rcn.org.uk/news/mediacentre.php
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.