Opening the discussion, the Mayor praised the capital’s nursing community for all their work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to care for Londoners. He said that “RCN members do incredible work that benefits everyone in London, including me and my family”. He went on to thank London’s nursing community for “everything you have done over the past two years and your continued dedication”.
Members spoke about the realities of nursing through the pandemic and some members told Mr Khan that it came at great personal cost to their own mental health. The Mayor said that looking after nursing staff must be a priority for employers, and he has raised this with NHS leaders in London.
Members spoke openly and frankly about how the rising cost of living in the capital, especially rising transport costs, is putting more and more staff under severe financial pressure and making it harder for employers to retain nursing staff, risking patient care.
One member spoke about how their employer was introducing “food swaps” at their workplace to help staff. Car parking charges and long delays in reimbursement for upfront charges, such as claiming NHS mileage, were also highlighted as issues hitting nurses’ pockets.
Responding, Mr Khan said he understands the pressures London health and care services are under and the burden it is placing on nursing staff. He said he wants to be an “ally for nursing” in the capital and that he is “committed” to working with London's nursing community to address the issues they face and be their “advocate and champion”.
The Mayor was clear that while he has no responsibility for delivering or commissioning health and care services in London, he is trying to ease some of the burden nursing staff are facing. He told members about new measures he introduced last year to increase access to intermediate housing for key workers, such as nursing staff. Furthermore, he reiterated his support for RCN London’s calls for NHS trusts’ to use surplus NHS land to prioritise building homes for staff.
Wrapping up the discussion, RCN London Board Chair Jim Blair outlined how nursing is “vital” to helping the Mayor deliver some of his key public health priorities, and that that he should see nursing staff as “part of the solution” to help reduce health inequalities in the city.
Over the past two years, RCN London has worked in collaboration with the Mayor and his team to raise issues affecting nursing staff and their patients, specifically concerns about nurse staffing levels, rising transport costs and access to affordable housing. RCN London will continue work with City Hall to identify opportunities to amplify the voice of nursing and support the profession.