RCN welcomes new Chief Nursing Officer

Published: 19 March 2012

Commenting on the appointment of Jane Cummings as Chief Nursing Officer on the NHS Commissioning Board, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said:

“We warmly welcome Jane Cummings into her new role as the Chief Nursing Officer on the NHS Commissioning Board.  We have enjoyed an excellent relationship with Jane in her previous role as Chief Nurse for the North of England and look forward to building on this. We welcome the fact that Jane will be looking at improvements in patient safety and patient experience as these are also key issues for our members especially at a time when the NHS has to make savings of £20bn in England alone.

“The NHS is currently going through a period of unprecedented change, so it is vital that it has strong leadership in place to steer it through these challenges. The RCN has continually highlighted the importance of the nursing voice and nurse leadership at the top of the new NHS system and we are confident that Jane will fulfil this brief.”

Notes for Editors

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.