Government unveils NHS nursing reforms

Chief nursing officer Dame Christine Beasley has drawn up the new document

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Nurses are being encouraged to 'flick through' a new document drawing together the key points in the NHS Next Stage Review that affect nursing and midwifery.

The Department of Health published its framework document for nursing last week, almost a month after the initial over-arching report on the latest health service reforms were unveiled by junior health minister Lord Ara Darzi.

Janice Sigsworth, deputy chief nursing officer for England, said: 'What we wanted to do for nurses and midwives was pull out some of the key themes and issues for nurses and midwives – one because the next stage review has got a lot in it, but secondly, while we feel we've engaged with a lot of nurses and midwives across the NHS, we wanted to have a second go at engaging and communicating with them.

'This is a shortened summary version, so they can so they could a look through it, a flick through it, and quickly gather what chief nursing officer Dame Christine Beasley's intentions were around our contribution to the next stage review,' she added.

Ms Sigsworth said that, although there was nothing new in it, the document was important in terms of getting the message out, adding that she hoped it was something people could 'easily photocopy and give out at matrons meetings, sisters meetings, community meetings'.
The Department of Health document can be downloaded by clicking here.