Local NHS Trust welcomes launch of Nursing Commission
South West Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Trust is welcoming a new Commission of leading experts in nursing to advise the Government on the future role of nurses and midwives.
The Commission, announced today by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and health secretary Alan Johnson will make sure the nursing workforce is contributing to the vision laid out by Lord Darzi’s report, High Quality Care for All. It will champion high quality patient care and give nurses more freedom to manage, commission and run their own services.
South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust provides specialist mental health and learning disability services to people in Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield, and recognises the wealth of ideas and experience the board of nursing experts will bring.
The Trust’s head of nursing Anne Hargate said, “Mental health and learning disability nurses and healthcare assistants make a vital contribution to the NHS and to the specialist services that our Trust provides. The national Commission will be a welcome source of support for our nursing staff and will help create opportunities to lead change as well as give them more authority to manage their own care areas. We hope we can work alongside the Commission to develop new ways of delivering advanced nursing practice and tackle the challenges of the future for the benefit of local people who need to use our services."
Professional lead nurse in learning disability services Nigel Mcloughlin added, “The role of nurses and healthcare assistants is developing all the time in learning disabilities and the launch of the Nursing Commission will no doubt help us build on these expanding roles. The merging of the skills and experience of the experts on the Commission will help the nursing profession grow further and support our nurses in their delivery of a first rate service.”
The Trust is also encouraging nurses and healthcare assistants to nominate themselves and their colleagues for the Nursing Standards Awards 2009 as a way of sharing good practice and celebrating the exceptional work that goes on in the local NHS.