Vital role of nurses and midwives in quality care: NHS Chief
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The pivotal role played by nurses and midwives in ensuring future quality of care was the central message of an address by Dame Christine Beasley, Chief Nursing Officer for the NHS and a Visiting Professor with the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery, at a recent event hosted at the School.In a speech to an audience of academics, practitioners and directors of nursing and fellow speaker Government Health Minister Ann Keen MP, Dame Beasley highlighted that there are few clinical settings in which either nurses or midwives are not present, or where they do not influence the tone and values that shape the quality of care offered.
Dame Beasley emphasised the need for nurses to continue to develop their knowledge and skills throughout their working lives. “Nursing careers must be structured to reflect the future needs of patients and the service – while providing nurses themselves with satisfying and rewarding job prospects,” she commented.
The Chief Nursing Officer also stated that the high aspirations set out by Lord Darzi in his review High Quality Care For All – NHS Next Stage Review would have significant implications for nurses and midwives over the coming years. She stressed the need to reaffirm the role of the nurse and develop nursing metrics, and highlighted six high level actions to help transform nursing and midwifery in the future.
Dame Beasley’s speech summarised a report on her recent consultation Towards a Framework for Post Registration Nursing Careers (DH 2007). The most thorough evaluation of its kind, the report forms part of the Modernising Nursing Careers programme, which involved many months working with nurses, profession leaders and educators, the Royal College of Nursing, UNISON, and other interested groups.
Separately at the event, Ann Keen MP spoke about the achievements and challenges facing the NHS, which took place to mark the 60th anniversary of the NHS.
The Chief Nursing Officer also stated that the high aspirations set out by Lord Darzi in his review High Quality Care For All – NHS Next Stage Review would have significant implications for nurses and midwives over the coming years. She stressed the need to reaffirm the role of the nurse and develop nursing metrics, and highlighted six high level actions to help transform nursing and midwifery in the future.
Dame Beasley’s speech summarised a report on her recent consultation Towards a Framework for Post Registration Nursing Careers (DH 2007). The most thorough evaluation of its kind, the report forms part of the Modernising Nursing Careers programme, which involved many months working with nurses, profession leaders and educators, the Royal College of Nursing, UNISON, and other interested groups.
Separately at the event, Ann Keen MP spoke about the achievements and challenges facing the NHS, which took place to mark the 60th anniversary of the NHS.
