Over the week of Congress, it has been a privilege to stand alongside nursing colleagues from across all four nations of the UK - hearing their stories, sharing experiences, debating important issues and voting on resolutions that will shape the future of our profession and our NHS.

One of the most powerful aspects of Congress has been the opportunity to network with nurses from so many different backgrounds, specialties and roles. Despite the immense pressures facing healthcare, there remains such passion, compassion, intelligence and determination within our profession. It reminded me why nursing matters so profoundly.

I was also incredibly proud to speak at Congress on issues that matter deeply to me - including physical healthcare inequalities in mental health and the wider pressures facing NHS services. So many of the debates this week ultimately returned to the same underlying issue: chronic underfunding, widening inequality and systems being pushed beyond what staff can reasonably sustain.

We continue to hear the language of “efficiency savings” whilst frontline staff are exhausted and services are stretched to breaking point. Cuts are cuts, no matter how they are dressed up.

Funding health is a political choice. Surely one of the wealthiest countries in the world should be able to properly fund healthcare, social care and public services?

The NHS was founded on boldness, compassion and the belief that healthcare is a human right - not a privilege dependent on wealth. We need political courage once again. We need a government willing to invest in the health and wellbeing of its people with the same vision and determination shown by the post-war government and Nye Bevan when the NHS was created.

Thank you to everybody who made this week such a valuable and memorable experience. I leave Congress feeling hopeful, motivated and incredibly proud to be a nurse.

I also want to say thank you to anybody who is standing up to injustice, inequality and unfairness. You are all heroes. Thank you for being a voice to those who are struggling and those who need advocacy. Don’t stop doing what you are doing. You are amazing and inspirational!