RCN comments on boost to nursing leadership

Published: 03 March 2011

For immediate release: 3rd March 2011

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) today commented on the Department of Health announcement that the new Chief Nursing Officer role will include a seat on the NHS Commissioning Board.

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the RCN said:
“We are delighted that the government has listened to frontline staff and given a vital leadership role to a nurse. Healthcare simply wouldn’t happen without nurses, so having a nurse leader with real authority in this central role is a very good move. Not only will the Chief Nursing Officer be able to bring the nursing voice to the table, they will also be able to use their influence to improve care throughout the NHS. The RCN has also been calling for nurses to be represented at a senior level in the new commissioning consortia, which would ensure that nursing influence could improve care at a local as well as a national level.

“We are also pleased to hear that the Department of Health will be appointing a Director of Nursing with a focus on public health and the social care sector. Nurses will have a very important part to play in ensuring that the NHS works well in both of these areas, and we hope to hear more about the remit and authority of this role. We look forward to working with the government to ensure that nurses are fully supported to deliver high quality patient care.”

Ends

Notes for Editors

The RCN’s briefing for parliamentarians contains a number of recommendations for boosting nursing leadership. You can read more here - http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/359726/RCN_Parliamentary_Briefing_on_the_Health_and_Social_Care_Bill.pdf
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 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.