Monday 7.30am: Congress kicks off today with the early release of the key points that Damme Donna Kinnair will set out in her speech later today. It focuses on the college’s campaign to get safe staffing legislation introduced in England, in the same that it is in Wales and Scotland.
- Nurses’ goodwill is being abused, warns RCN leader – The leader of the Royal College of Nursing will today pledge that she will “not stop” until ministers take decisive action to end the workforce crisis. In her first speech on the opening day of this year’s RCN congress, chief executive and general secretary Dame Donna Kinnair is expected to say that the goodwill of nurses that has been keeping the system afloat is wearing thin.
Liverpool
Source: Steve Ford
Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool
In the run-up to RCN Congress, Dame Donna Kinnair spoke to Nursing Times about key issues affecting nursing and her priorities.
- Exclusive: RCN should be taken seriously, says new leader – There must be a “fundamental change” in the level of respect given to the Royal College of Nursing, its new chief executive has urged, claiming the current crisis facing the profession could have been avoided if its previous warnings had been heeded. Dame Donna Kinnair said the college had been raising alarm bells about the sustainability of the nursing workforce for the best part of a decade but no-one in power had taken notice. The shortfall of nurses in England’s NHS is predicted to rise from 40,000 now to 70,000 in the next five years.
Nursing Times journalists will be reporting live from the Royal College of Nursing’s annual congress in Liverpool. We’ll be here until the end on Thursday evening. Come and say hello or follow us on Twitter: @SteveJFord @gemmamitchell92 @Megan_Ford97
https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/policies-and-guidance/rcn-congress-2019-live-rolling-news/7029025.article