At RCN headquarters this week, Deputy Leader of the Green Party and London Assembly Member Zack Polanski met with RCN members to listen to their priorities for the nursing profession. The event was part of a series of political summits the RCN is hosting for its members. In January, we held a similar event with Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP and last year with the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid MP.
The events are designed to lay the groundwork for the RCN’s messaging at the next general election by giving members an opportunity to speak directly to the main UK political parties and secure manifesto pledges for the nursing profession.
This week’s summit brought together members from across the country from a range of nursing specialties including sexual health, acute care, and community nursing.
The event opened with remarks from Zack Polanski, who described nurses as being “the very best of society” and who gave his support for fair pay for nursing. This was followed by an open discussion with members.
The conversations focused on worries about the lack of affordable childcare for nurses, better access to quality food in the workplace and support for internationally educated nurses.
RCN President Sheilabye Sobrany thanked Zack for a detailed discussion, saying: “Nursing is a 90% female dominated profession” which requires increased investment in childcare.
She added that there needed to be improved access to nutritional food in the workplace because “nurses can’t care for patients if we’re not looked after”.
She concluded: “The RCN looks forward to continuing these conversations and ensuring we can secure sustainability, not only in our workplaces but in the number of people working in the nursing profession.”
