Nursing and Care Quality Forum outlines work to improve nursing care

Nursing and Care Quality Forum outlines work to improve nursing care:
The Nursing and Care Quality Forum, which aims to improve the quality of nursing care across all care settings, met Prime Minister David Cameron and Health Secretary Andrew Lansley today to discuss the work the Forum will deliver.
The independent Forum will begin its work by identifying and supporting the spread and adoption of best practice across four areas:

• how to promote and achieve accountable and empowered nurse leadership across the system
• how to make sure that the right culture and the right values that put patients first prevails at all times
• how best to involve, listen to, hear and respond to feedback from patients
• how to make sure that those providing care have the time to do so properly.

Across all four of these themes, the Forum will consider the knowledge, skills and educational needs of staff providing nursing and care to people. It will engage patients, staff, carers and professional experts, and aims to capture the experience and views of as many people as possible.
The Forum, which is chaired by Sally Brearley, is made up of a range of expert voices, including front-line nurses working in hospitals and the community, patient representatives and members of professional bodies and voluntary sector organisations.
The Forum’s Chair, Sally Brearley, said:

‘We want best practice to be common practice. The Forum’s mission is to identify and spread best practice to help all nurses deliver compassionate, dignified, respectful and safe care. We want nurses to feel confident and proud to give top quality care to those who need it.’

Prime Minister David Cameron said:

‘Nurses are some of the most caring, compassionate people in the country and I want to do everything possible to allow them to do a fantastic job.
‘That means learning from the best – and helping everyone to match those great standards. That’s why I’ve asked the Nursing and Care Quality Forum to scour the country, find out what works best and share it across the NHS.
‘We’ve seen how innovative changes to nursing can increase patient trust and confidence in their care. These are the kind of ideas we need to explore if we are to change the way nursing works and restore a sense of pride in the profession.’

If you would like to feed in your views on any of the above four themes to the Forum, you can contact it by email at ncqf@dh.gsi.gov.uk
Read the Nursing and Care Quality Forum mission statement.

See the Forum membership list and biographies.
See press release