MPs from all the main political parties have rallied behind the RCN’s General Election call to back specialist nursing.
Almost sixty MPs have signed a cross party Early Day Motion calling for specialist nursing provision to be available to all patients with long term conditions – one of the six health priorities for the next government, according to the RCN.
The issue of specialist nurses has also been raised in parliament by a number of MPs in the past week.
The focus on specialist nursing forms part of the RCN’s “Nursing counts” campaign which encourages nurses and members of the public to add their voices to the debate around the next government’s health policies in advance of the general election.
In the five weeks since the campaign website was launched, almost 20,000 people have signed up to pledge their support to the RCN’s six election priorities. Additionally:
- 17,000 letters have been sent to political party leaders supporting the Nursing counts priorities
- 120,000 people have watched the RCN’s Nursing counts film, highlighting the six health priorities for the next government
- 40,000 people in one week have watched the RCN’s film about the value of specialist nurses
- Almost 1,000 people have sent their own stories about nursing to the Nursing counts website
Tom Sandford, Director of RCN England, said:
“We are delighted that so many people, from members of the public to members of parliament, have shown their support for the Nursing counts campaign. With around 1,800 nurses and healthcare assistants in each constituency, there’s no doubt that nursing counts. We encourage everybody to join our online campaign to make sure the priorities for health are heard loud and clear.”
To visit the Nursing counts website, go to www.rcn.org.uk/generalelection
Nurses are also being urged to tweet #nursingcounts.
Important that every MP and those standing for parliament across the UK hear the voice of nursing. However, I might have joined up & sent letters to my MP and other candidates in my constituency if the RCN had added a tool to the website to Scotland’s main parties! Five weeks since the campaign website was launched and this is simply not good enough!