Responding to the 'protect the nurse' law change, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger, said:

“This is an important moment for our safety-critical profession, after years of campaigning.

“A change in the law will recognise the knowledge, professionalism and clinical expertise that comes with being a registered nurse. It will provide better legal protections for nursing professionals and reassurance to patients. 

"Crucially this is an opportunity to begin the journey to properly valuing nursing as a profession, where respect, reward and investment match the crucial nature of our work. We look forward to working with the Department of Health and Social Care on the details of how this will work in practice and to see the change implemented as soon as possible.”

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