Region plays host to public debate

After consultation with other RCN membership groups including the Patient and Public Involvement Group, and careful consideration, they set the motion:

“This house believes that patients should not always come first.”

Quality standards of care are often achieved at the expense of the health and wellbeing of nursing staff.

RCN Student Member of RCN Council, Amy Fancourt took on the role of chair extremely well. RCN North West Regional Director Estephanie Dunn introduced the debate and speakers such as Dr Philip Bardzil, Chartered Occupational Psychologist and Martin Ratherfelder set the context with input from RCN student members Yasmin Khanagha and Florence Bishop. The debate featured contributions from students, nurses and other health care professionals and the live video stream enabled wider participation from the public and members.

The motion was successful in prompting a vigorous debate. Points were raised about the responsibility of government and employers, the impact on nurses of decades of insufficient workforce planning. The significant risks to nurse’s health as a result of the staffing crisis. 

The motion was controversial on two levels, the concept of any compromise to patient care did not resound with nurses professional and vocational aspirations.  The motion, by pitching one group above another, created a false conflict.  The quality care of both nurses and patients is parament. 

The motion was carried, although it was a balanced vote and some participants commented on how the debate hand altered their position on the motion.