Health Minister reinforces his commitment to NI nursing numbers

Health Minister Edwin Poots has reinforced his commitment to ensuring that sufficient numbers of nurses, with the right skills, are in all areas where nursing care is delivered to patients, including their own homes.

Speaking in the Assembly, the Minister recognised the important role that nurses play across the Health Service; pressures faced by hospitals and the importance of Health and Social Care Trusts providing sufficient numbers of nurses on key wards such as critical care.

The Minister highlighted the need for appropriate staffing levels to support safe, effective, person centred care, emphasising his overriding concern for safety and quality across patient care. The Minister said: “In March 2013 over 14,000 whole time equivalent [WTE] qualified nurses were employed in the HSC representing an increase of more than 300 nurses in the previous year and over 1,600 WTE nurses in the five years to March 2013.

“As the profile of care changes, staffing levels must not be based on traditional and/or cost constraints rather than patient need or outcomes. As I lead the transformation of change it is no mistake that my policies such as ‘Transforming Your Care’ are underpinned by the overriding concern for safety and quality.”

The Royal College of Nursing has welcomed last night’s announcement.

Janice Smyth, Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland said: “Nurses have been raising consistently and vocally the need to promote patient safety and standards of care by ensuring that nurse staffing matches the needs of patients. We are grateful to the Minister for listening to nurses’ concerns and putting in place measures that will significantly enhance the capacity of nurses working within these care settings to deliver high quality, safe and effective patient care.”

“The RCN is also grateful for the support and leadership shown on this issue by the Chief Nursing Officer and the Director of Nursing of the Public Health Agency. I would also like to pay tribute to the Assembly members of all parties and persuasions, who spoke with such passion and pride in nurses during the debate, for their continuing support for nurses and nursing in Northern Ireland.”