Thank you – on International Nurses Day (my emphasis)

Dear Peter*

On International Nurses Day, we want to recognise the vital role that nursing professionals play in delivering safe and equitable care. ...

This year’s theme, ‘Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives’, reflects the importance of supporting you to uphold high standards in a rapidly evolving health and care landscape, with rising demand for care. There are new models of care^ and rapid growth in the use of AI. There are also changing demographics – a more diverse nursing population, with a third of nursing professionals being Black, Asian and minority ethnic. There is also a more diverse patient community to care for, with a greater mix of complex mental, physical, cognitive, and behavioral care needs. To make matters even more challenging, there are sadly rising levels of racism and intolerance across our society, which is affecting health and care – with some Black, Asian and minority ethnic nursing professionals now being subjected to 1970s and 1980s style racism. This is unacceptable. That’s why we’re working to modernise practice learning the Code and the revalidation process, to support you, and students, to uphold high standards in the modern and changing world. We’re consulting on our proposals to strengthen practice learning, so that the next generation of professionals is equipped with the right knowledge, skills and experience to meet society’s future health and care needs. We encourage you to take part in the consultation and share your views, so that the changes we make are informed by your lived experience and professional insight. At the end of this month, we will be publishing anti-racist principles for nursing and midwifery education and practice, to help tackle health inequalities for patients who are Black, Asian and minority ethnic. Our work on the anti-racism principles reflects our responsibility to set clear standards that support equity, safety and public confidence – this has also been central to the ongoing reviews of the Code and Revalidation process. We know there is more to do, and we are listening – to your experiences, your insights and your ideas, as we shape the changes. International Nurses Day is an opportunity to hear directly from registrants, reflecting on what you enjoy about your work and how professional standards guide your practice. As Caroline Ogunsola, Professional Development Lead Nurse at East London NHS Foundation Trust, says: “Your contribution matters – nursing is a lifelong journey of impact and continuous development.” Roisin Devlin, Assistant Director of Nursing and Midwifery at South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, says: “Take pride in your title and remember people will feel the impact you made on them long after you have forgotten.” To nursing professionals across all settings in the four countries of the UK – we would like to say: ''Thank you for your dedication, resilience, and the essential role you play for people and communities every day.''

Best wishes

Paul Rees MBE Chief Executive and Registrar Professor Donna O’Boyle MBE Acting Executive Director of Professional Practice

^There are older models too, that can help healthcare and education deal with racism, inequity, inequality and AI. 

 *Not to me personally, of course - part of a mass NMC mailing on this special day.

Previously: 'safety' : 'lifelong' : 'model' : 'nurse' : 'values' : 'racism'