RCN responds to Labour Party manifesto launch
Responding to Labour's general election manifesto, launched today, Dame Donna Kinnair, RCN Chief Executive and General Secretary, said:
“The response to the 43,000 nursing vacancies in England must be bold and ambitious and we are pleased to see the Labour Party make a clear commitment to put safe staffing into law. Any changes to the responsibilities of the secretary of state for health and social care must include a new specific duty to ensure health and care services have the workforce they need to deliver safe and effective care. Patients and nurses alike deserve nothing less.
“Labour have met our election ask for all parties to put £1bn into nursing higher education in England and this must be forthcoming every year. This will help educate tens of thousands more nurses and ensure those who want to join the profession are no longer deterred by financial hurdles.
"Nursing staff will welcome the pledge to increase pay. NHS staff should be fairly rewarded for their commitment and professionalism. Increased pay would also help health and care services to recruit and retain the professionals they desperately need.
“The ambition to provide free personal care for over 65s is also a welcome one but we should not underestimate the scale of the task at hand in social care settings. If elected, the Labour Party will have to ensure it follows through on its pledge to invest in this sector’s workforce. At present, chronic and widespread vacancies mean they routinely work many hours of unpaid overtime to keep residents and clients safe. This puts nurses under impossible strain and puts residents at risk."
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