Chamber
Plenary, 27 Sep 2001
27 Sep 2001 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
“Value Nurses” Campaign
I made an announcement in the summer in response to one of those demands and I have stated clearly that the other demands—some of which I have yet to deal with in my speech—will be addressed fully by the convention. I know that Margaret Ewing wants me to give assurances, but I can say only that we are taking the demands very seriously as part of a process. We are not limiting ourselves to those specific demands, but we are addressing the issue on a broader front.
On NHS boards, we want to ensure that all staff have the opportunity to contribute appropriately to decision making in the NHS in Scotland, without one profession being favoured over another, which is the point that Janis Hughes made. That is why we are giving a stronger voice to area partnership forums and asking NHS boards to carry out a major overhaul of their area professional advisory committees, including the establishment of new area clinical forums in each board area. The chairs of the area clinical forums and the area partnership forums will be on the boards, and either or both of those chairs could be nurses.
There are two other parts to the campaign. The first is the protection of time off for, and the provision of more money for, training. That issue must be addressed because some trusts find it difficult to release staff and because the money for training is not always spent on that. That issue will be addressed. We expect, as part of that, that the new special health board for education and training that will be created in April will take a role in co-ordinating and overseeing educational support for health care staff, including nurses.
The second part of the campaign is the empowering of senior nurses to direct quality patient care. Trust directors of nursing have been asked to ensure that every ward sister and charge nurse in their organisation has access to a leadership development opportunity within a five-year plan, commencing this year. That is why the Scottish Executive has invested £1.75 million in areas such as ward sister/charge nurse development. That is regarded as a key priority in the modernisation of the NHS in Scotland and the empowering of staff. We have also issued guidance on nurse consultant posts. The number of posts—13—is totally inadequate, and we are determined that trusts will employ more nurse consultants.
Those latter proposals are part of the extension of the role of nurses. Many recent initiatives have reflected the new roles that nurses are adopting, including the role of nurses in NHS24, a service that will provide 24-hour access for patients to health advice from nurses. However, we have also heard the announcement of funding for 80 public health practitioners and the Executive is involved in the family health nurse project. That project is being tested as a means of delivering community nursing in remote and rural areas of Scotland and is a World Health Organisation pilot project. Other initiatives that I have heard about recently include the role of nurses in endoscopy services, which reflects the way in which roles throughout the NHS are changing. We are committed to extending and expanding the role of nurses in the NHS in Scotland.
I conclude by reaffirming the Executive's commitment to valuing our nurses. Much has been done, but the main point is that more remains to be done. I know that some people will be disappointed that I have not been able to make specific announcements tonight, but I have clearly indicated the direction of travel. I am sure that everyone is looking forward to the convention, in which answers to many of the questions that members have asked will be given. I look forward to listening to nurses at the dinner tonight and at the conference tomorrow, and I leave it to them to decide whether my soup will be hot or cold.
On NHS boards, we want to ensure that all staff have the opportunity to contribute appropriately to decision making in the NHS in Scotland, without one profession being favoured over another, which is the point that Janis Hughes made. That is why we are giving a stronger voice to area partnership forums and asking NHS boards to carry out a major overhaul of their area professional advisory committees, including the establishment of new area clinical forums in each board area. The chairs of the area clinical forums and the area partnership forums will be on the boards, and either or both of those chairs could be nurses.
There are two other parts to the campaign. The first is the protection of time off for, and the provision of more money for, training. That issue must be addressed because some trusts find it difficult to release staff and because the money for training is not always spent on that. That issue will be addressed. We expect, as part of that, that the new special health board for education and training that will be created in April will take a role in co-ordinating and overseeing educational support for health care staff, including nurses.
The second part of the campaign is the empowering of senior nurses to direct quality patient care. Trust directors of nursing have been asked to ensure that every ward sister and charge nurse in their organisation has access to a leadership development opportunity within a five-year plan, commencing this year. That is why the Scottish Executive has invested £1.75 million in areas such as ward sister/charge nurse development. That is regarded as a key priority in the modernisation of the NHS in Scotland and the empowering of staff. We have also issued guidance on nurse consultant posts. The number of posts—13—is totally inadequate, and we are determined that trusts will employ more nurse consultants.
Those latter proposals are part of the extension of the role of nurses. Many recent initiatives have reflected the new roles that nurses are adopting, including the role of nurses in NHS24, a service that will provide 24-hour access for patients to health advice from nurses. However, we have also heard the announcement of funding for 80 public health practitioners and the Executive is involved in the family health nurse project. That project is being tested as a means of delivering community nursing in remote and rural areas of Scotland and is a World Health Organisation pilot project. Other initiatives that I have heard about recently include the role of nurses in endoscopy services, which reflects the way in which roles throughout the NHS are changing. We are committed to extending and expanding the role of nurses in the NHS in Scotland.
I conclude by reaffirming the Executive's commitment to valuing our nurses. Much has been done, but the main point is that more remains to be done. I know that some people will be disappointed that I have not been able to make specific announcements tonight, but I have clearly indicated the direction of travel. I am sure that everyone is looking forward to the convention, in which answers to many of the questions that members have asked will be given. I look forward to listening to nurses at the dinner tonight and at the conference tomorrow, and I leave it to them to decide whether my soup will be hot or cold.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S1M-2054, in the name of Margaret Smith, on the Royal College of Nursing Scotland's value ...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament supports the Royal College of Nursing Scotland's "Value Nurses" campaign, which highlights the crucial role that nurses play in deliverin...
Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD):
LD
I am delighted and honoured to sponsor a motion to value and recognise the wide range of work done by Scotland's nurses and to support the RCN's value nurses...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
SNP
I will not be able to call everyone, even with speeches of three minutes, so I am prepared to entertain a motion without notice to extend the debate by 10 mi...
Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
May I move a motion to extend the business?
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
Yes.
Motion moved,
That the meeting be extended by 10 minutes.—Mrs Margaret Ewing.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
The question is, that the motion be agreed to.
Motion agreed to.
Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab):
Lab
I must declare an interest—I am a member of Unison. As the only nurse in the Scottish Parliament, I feel qualified to contribute to the debate. Margaret Smit...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Margaret Smith on securing the debate and Janis Hughes on her contribution to it. I am sure that there will not be a great deal of controversy...
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Margaret Smith on securing the debate, which I welcome. Well motivated, happy nurses are key members of our Scottish health team. Two weeks ag...
Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab):
Lab
I hesitate to introduce a partisan element to the debate, but Mr McGrigor has prompted me to do so. I take it that, at some point in this year zero speech, h...
Mr McGrigor:
Con
I regret to say that the Conservative health spokesperson is currently recovering from a very bad car crash, and I am sorry that she is not here today. I do ...
Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD):
LD
In this brief speech, I will use my experience of the health service over the past few months to highlight two things we should do if we value our nurses.Fir...
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I too congratulate Margaret Smith on securing this debate, and on making an excellent opening speech. In no way do I want to be partisan, but I think that th...
Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP):
SSP
I endorse what Alex Neil said and I thank Margaret Smith for securing the debate and for the quality of her speech. Nurses are undoubtedly the Henrik Larsson...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the nurses, who come from a virtually all-female profession, to the Scottish Parliament. It is worth noting that the vast majority of nurses, midwi...
Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I will be brief, to allow other members an opportunity to speak. I thank Margaret Smith for securing this important debate.As part of the RCN's value nurses ...
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Margaret Smith on raising this extremely important debate. We should all be grateful to Scotland's nurses for what they have done over countle...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
I call Jamie Stone, to be followed by a 60-second speech from Kenny Gibson.
Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD):
LD
I also congratulate Margaret Smith on securing this debate. On behalf of the Liberal Democrats, I welcome our friends in the public gallery. Although the tur...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
We only have time for the briefest of contributions from Kenny Gibson.
Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the Presiding Officer for accepting my plea. I do not consider nursing to be a female profession but a caring profession. Although there are many thi...
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Margaret Smith on securing today's welcome debate. I also add my support to the RCN's value nurses campaign. The minister and I are joining th...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Malcolm Chisholm):
Lab
I begin by congratulating Margaret Smith on securing the debate and by welcoming nurses to the public gallery. I applaud the enormous contribution that they ...
Mrs Ewing:
SNP
I have heard many of those comments before, sometimes in the House of Commons where I served as an RCN panel member. Will the minister give one concrete exam...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
I made an announcement in the summer in response to one of those demands and I have stated clearly that the other demands—some of which I have yet to deal wi...