Stand up for Whistleblowers in the NHS!

[DavidS]

Just until our revamped professional body gets up to steam, we need to be watching what is happening outside pharmacy in areas of the NHS that are likely to have a knock-on effect on our practice.

The Royal College of Nursing has the great idea of creating its own General Election Manifesto. You will notice from the enclosed letter that the provision of protection for whistleblowers, and patient protection, are at the heart of this manifesto, and it is one that our own Professional body would do well to emulate.

Please sign their petition, if you agree with it: the link is in the quote below -

Dear David --

You'll recall you stood up for Margaret Haywood, a nurse who was punished for exposing patient neglect in 2005.

Now you've got a chance to stand up for whistleblowers all across the UK.

The RCN has just finalised our general election manifesto, and protection for whistleblowers is one of our six priorities to support UK nurses and improve patient care. We developed these priorities after months of deliberation and input from nurses like you.

Soon we'll ask each of the political parties to sign onto these six pledges and put them in their manifestos, but first we need as many nurses and members of the public as possible to sign on and show the parties how loud our voice can be.

Here are the six pledges -- click here to add your name and support these essential priorities for the UK's health.
Standing up for staff who speak out
Ensuring safer staffing levels
Giving nurses proper time to train
Protecting the nation's health
Improving care for those with long-term conditions
Sustaining health care investment
These six pledges resulted from more than two years' worth of consultation with RCN members across the UK. Nurses have contributed their ideas and opinions, and helped shape this list of our top priorities.

The official manifesto, called Nursing Counts, provides greater detail on each of these pledges, as well as explanations about how they apply to each part of the UK.

Please click here to learn more, sign onto the pledges, and ensure that Nursing Counts in this general election:

Royal College of Nursing - Nursing Counts | Join the Campaign

Nurses provide a critical link between patients and our leaders in government. It's our duty to make sure that the government's policies provide the greatest support for quality patient care.

Signing our six pledges is an important way to continue fulfilling this duty.

Thank you for all that you do.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Peter Carter
RCN Chief Executive and General Secretary

[shan]

....... after months of deliberation and input from nurses like you.

When were you a nurse David

I will support them anyway.

Shan