I was deeply concerned by the publication of the Independent Culture Review of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) earlier this month. The review found serious failings in the NMC’s culture and regulatory performance, prompting an apology to registered nursing professionals and the public, as well as to its own staff. The findings showed the NMC is failing in a number of its core duties.
The report makes for distressing reading and I was particularly shocked by the racist behaviours the report unearthed and the impact if found this has on the handling of fitness to practice cases. The evidence showed staff angrily recounting experiences of racism in the workplace, and the mishandling of Fitness to Practise cases relating to racism and sexual assault where they felt the public hadn’t been protected.
Given the crucial role that the NMC plays in health care, it must be fit for purpose and able to uphold the standards of our profession and safeguard the public. The publication of the review is a start. We know from our own journey that such deep-routed issues take time to resolve, but we also recognise the urgency with which this work must be undertaken and we will actively monitor the NMC’s progress.
Of course, one route to enacting cultural change is to proactively embrace expert advisers with lived experience of the issues that cause greatest concern. This week I had the great honour and privilege of presenting a speech to Felicia Kwaku, the Chair of the Chief Nursing Officer’s and Chief Midwifery Officer’s Black Minority Ethnic Strategic Advisory Group in the House of Commons on behalf of the Royal College of Nursing. This was to recognise her dedication and commitment to the nursing and midwifery profession. The Honourable Mother of the House Diane Abbott MP and Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP were present along with our CNO Ruth May. I am also grateful to receive recognition of my commitment by the CNO with an award and was delighted for the RCN staff who also received awards for their brilliant work in this area.
The last few weeks have certainly seen a tremendous amount of change, both here at the RCN and in the UK government. Since writing my last blog, we now have a new Prime Minister and a new permanent General Secretary and Chief Executive in Professor Nicola Ranger.
I’m delighted Nicola has been appointed permanently, she brings a wealth of experience to the role and her knowledge and passion for our profession is second to none. I’m excited to work with her to deliver the positive change our profession urgently needs - and that I believe we’re poised to achieve.
And following the general election on 4 July, we wasted no time in writing to Sir Keir Starmer on behalf of the RCN’s half a million members. In our letter, we asked the Prime Minister to meet with us as a matter of urgency, and outlined key priorities that his government needs to tackle now; fair pay for nursing, prioritising patient safety and standing by the manifesto commitment to repeal anti-trade union legislation and launch an urgent investigation into migrant care worker exploitation.
I was heartened to see that in his first King’s Speech last week, Keir Starmer was true to his word regarding repealing minimum service levels legislation. We are clear though that there is much more to do.
We also continue our important work to move forward with our own transformation of the College. Last week we held our RCN Annual General Meeting (AGM). You, our members, voted overwhelmingly in favour of the two resolutions regarding the definition of RCN Council officers.
The findings of Module 1 of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, as reported last week, really laid bare the extent of the problems in our national health and care systems that this government will need to tackle.
It made for difficult reading. Much of what was reported confirmed what we in the nursing profession already knew – that the UK simply wasn’t prepared or properly resourced to deal with a pandemic of this nature. The knowledge that nursing staff were left exposed by the government’s failure to prepare, and that too many of us still bear the scars from that time is a bitter pill to swallow and I know will be difficult for many of you still dealing with the consequences of COVID-19, both personally and professionally.
If you need support, you can find useful guidance on the RCN counselling pages, contact your Employee Assistance Programme or NHS 111.
The report’s findings must act as a warning to ensure this lack of preparedness can never happen again. They highlighted that the concerns of nursing staff were sidelined and that as the largest single workforce in the NHS, there must be parity between the Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Medical Officer in the future. This is particularly important with the news yesterday that Duncan Burton has been appointed as Chief Nursing Officer for England. Following years of dedicated service at every level, some of those working side by side, I have every confidence in him as a powerful voice for our profession. My congratulations to Duncan on the appointment and on behalf of RCN members, I will work closely with Duncan to showcase the difference that skilled nursing staff, with the right support and investment, make to patient outcomes – transforming lives and communities.
So as both the UK and the RCN start their new chapters, I feel optimistic. We must learn the lessons of the past and dare to be bold enough to create the future that both our profession and our patients deserve.
The report makes for distressing reading and I was particularly shocked by the racist behaviours the report unearthed and the impact if found this has on the handling of fitness to practice cases. The evidence showed staff angrily recounting experiences of racism in the workplace, and the mishandling of Fitness to Practise cases relating to racism and sexual assault where they felt the public hadn’t been protected.
Given the crucial role that the NMC plays in health care, it must be fit for purpose and able to uphold the standards of our profession and safeguard the public. The publication of the review is a start. We know from our own journey that such deep-routed issues take time to resolve, but we also recognise the urgency with which this work must be undertaken and we will actively monitor the NMC’s progress.
Of course, one route to enacting cultural change is to proactively embrace expert advisers with lived experience of the issues that cause greatest concern. This week I had the great honour and privilege of presenting a speech to Felicia Kwaku, the Chair of the Chief Nursing Officer’s and Chief Midwifery Officer’s Black Minority Ethnic Strategic Advisory Group in the House of Commons on behalf of the Royal College of Nursing. This was to recognise her dedication and commitment to the nursing and midwifery profession. The Honourable Mother of the House Diane Abbott MP and Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP were present along with our CNO Ruth May. I am also grateful to receive recognition of my commitment by the CNO with an award and was delighted for the RCN staff who also received awards for their brilliant work in this area.
The last few weeks have certainly seen a tremendous amount of change, both here at the RCN and in the UK government. Since writing my last blog, we now have a new Prime Minister and a new permanent General Secretary and Chief Executive in Professor Nicola Ranger.
I’m delighted Nicola has been appointed permanently, she brings a wealth of experience to the role and her knowledge and passion for our profession is second to none. I’m excited to work with her to deliver the positive change our profession urgently needs - and that I believe we’re poised to achieve.
And following the general election on 4 July, we wasted no time in writing to Sir Keir Starmer on behalf of the RCN’s half a million members. In our letter, we asked the Prime Minister to meet with us as a matter of urgency, and outlined key priorities that his government needs to tackle now; fair pay for nursing, prioritising patient safety and standing by the manifesto commitment to repeal anti-trade union legislation and launch an urgent investigation into migrant care worker exploitation.
I was heartened to see that in his first King’s Speech last week, Keir Starmer was true to his word regarding repealing minimum service levels legislation. We are clear though that there is much more to do.
We also continue our important work to move forward with our own transformation of the College. Last week we held our RCN Annual General Meeting (AGM). You, our members, voted overwhelmingly in favour of the two resolutions regarding the definition of RCN Council officers.
The findings of Module 1 of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, as reported last week, really laid bare the extent of the problems in our national health and care systems that this government will need to tackle.
It made for difficult reading. Much of what was reported confirmed what we in the nursing profession already knew – that the UK simply wasn’t prepared or properly resourced to deal with a pandemic of this nature. The knowledge that nursing staff were left exposed by the government’s failure to prepare, and that too many of us still bear the scars from that time is a bitter pill to swallow and I know will be difficult for many of you still dealing with the consequences of COVID-19, both personally and professionally.
If you need support, you can find useful guidance on the RCN counselling pages, contact your Employee Assistance Programme or NHS 111.
The report’s findings must act as a warning to ensure this lack of preparedness can never happen again. They highlighted that the concerns of nursing staff were sidelined and that as the largest single workforce in the NHS, there must be parity between the Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Medical Officer in the future. This is particularly important with the news yesterday that Duncan Burton has been appointed as Chief Nursing Officer for England. Following years of dedicated service at every level, some of those working side by side, I have every confidence in him as a powerful voice for our profession. My congratulations to Duncan on the appointment and on behalf of RCN members, I will work closely with Duncan to showcase the difference that skilled nursing staff, with the right support and investment, make to patient outcomes – transforming lives and communities.
So as both the UK and the RCN start their new chapters, I feel optimistic. We must learn the lessons of the past and dare to be bold enough to create the future that both our profession and our patients deserve.
Share on X (formerly Twitter)
Share on Facebook
