Minister To Invest More In Nurse Training And Development

Health Minister Edwin Poots has committed to increase investment to nurse training and development to provide more trained professionals and address growing demand.

Speaking at the annual Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year ceremony, Mr Poots praised the winners for their success in working with patients, carers, nursing teams and other disciplines to make a difference across the Health Service.

Paying tribute to all the nurses who were recognised at the gala event in Cultra, the Minister said: "Each of you is deserving of our admiration and recognition and are already winners within your profession."

The Minister reinforced his view that nursing was an untapped resource with transferrable skills to all areas of practice and in many cases was now doing work traditionally carried out by medical colleagues.

Minister Poots continued: "The approval of 'Delivering Care; Nurse Staffing Levels in Northern Ireland' will ensure that nurse staffing is linked with patient need and quality outcomes, rather than the traditional matching of staff to cost constraints.

"I acknowledge there are challenges for everyone in this room on a day to day basis, however, and I assure you all that I am committed to leading the change so that the health service we need for our population not only meets those challenges but anticipates them and prevents ill-health."

The Minister also committed to significantly increasing the number of District Nurses in training to ensure they are available to provide care over the 24-hour day and the seven-day week. He committed to doubling the numbers of Health Visitors in training this year and next year. He went on to say that he expected to see up to 20 Advanced Nurse Practitioners in our Emergency Departments very soon and to then seeing the role further developed in Children's and Primary Care.

(CD/JP)