Remembering Windrush as we look to the future

My parents, both mental health nurses, migrated to the UK from Mauritius in the 1960s and settled in an area where many registered nurses from diverse backgrounds lived. They were by no means the first to do so and they owed a great debt to those who had gone before them. In June 1948, hundreds of passengers from the Caribbean arrived on the HMT Empire Windrush to help fill post-war workforce shortages. As we know, the creation of the National Health Service just two weeks later meant that many of those who travelled on Windrush took up roles in the NHS, including as nursing staff.

The stories of Windrush passengers and the foundation of the NHS are forever intertwined – we mustn’t forget that the NHS as we know it wouldn’t have survived without them. Tomorrow, at the library in our headquarters building in London, I’ll be celebrating Windrush Day with an afternoon of talks and activities exploring the history of diversity in nursing and you can sign up for a free place too. If you’re not able to attend this event, but are interested in finding out more about Windrush, take a look at the RCN Magazine article we published last year to celebrate 75 years since HMT Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks.  

At the Royal College of Nursing, we know that for internationally educated nursing staff, there can still be many challenges when arriving in the UK.  At RCN Congress earlier this month we heard more about these challenges from members directly. Nicola Ranger, our Acting General Secretary and Chief Executive, also launched our UK general election manifesto which sets out our top 12 priorities for what we want to see for the future of nursing. And I am delighted that one of these priorities is that whoever forms the next government must ensure better support for internationally educated nursing staff by ending punitive immigration policies. 

We are now just a couple of weeks away from the general election on 4 July and I urge you to read what the different parties are saying about the issues that matter to our profession. The election is pivotal for the future of nursing - it is our chance to get out and vote for the party we believe will protect our profession and our patients.  This must be a nursing election. Because when governments invest in nursing, they invest in patients, and they invest in society. So, when the time comes, go out and make your vote count.

There are big issues for nursing during the general election and there were big issues discussed at RCN Congress, earlier this month. It was a pleasure to meet so many of you in Wales. Don’t worry, if you weren’t able to join us in person, all the debates and keynote speeches are available on our website. And I look forward to seeing many of you at next year’s Congress in Liverpool in 2025.