headquarters and three other offices to be in the capital? The NMC could relocate north. It could then peg its costs and not need to increase the registration fees for nurses. The north of England would be convenient for people from England, Wales and Scotland to attend hearings. It would also save an enormous amount of money on premium London hotels for case witnesses and lawyers. The NMC needs to be seen to be spending our registration fees as efficiently as it can. As it stands, it clearly does not. Gwyn Morritt, South Yorkshire
A GREAT DEAL OF GOOD WORK GOES UNRECOGNISED IN SOCIAL CARE The Care Quality Commission (CQC), government, commissioners and providers have work to do in improving the care we offer older and vulnerable adults. But there is a great deal of excellent care provided all year round by caring and compassionate people that goes unrecognised and unrewarded. Instead of relentlessly aiming its fire at social care providers, which are going through their toughest ever period, the CQC should be pressing the government to put more money into social care through a fairer apportioning of NHS funding. If people are told often enough that planes crash, they stop flying. If you tell them there is salmonella in eggs, they stop eating eggs. If organisations such as the CQC keep saying social care is poor – neglecting to mention that most of it is good – people will stop using social care services, and then we will be in a very sorry mess. Mike Padgham, chair, Independent Care Group, York and North Yorkshire, Scarborough
GOOD HYDRATION IS AS IMPORTANT FOR US AS IT IS FOR OUR PATIENTS I support your Eat Well, Nurse Well campaign to improve the health of nurses, midwives
and healthcare assistants (tinyurl.com/q9dmwg4). It is good to see the campaign being backed by NHS chief executive Simon Stevens and England’s top public health nurse Viv Bennett (News November 19). I am also pleased that one of the five points of the Healthy Helpings charter is to ensure that vending machines are stocked with water instead of soft drinks. Many nurses, especially those working on acute hospital wards, spend a great deal of time each day encouraging their patients to take plenty of fluids and keep well hydrated. Many of those same nurses do not maintain an adequate level of hydration for themselves, particularly on long, busy shifts. We must look after our colleagues and ourselves, as well as our patients. It is important to use every opportunity to have a drink, particularly when we are busy and rushed off our feet. Part of our responsibility for making sure we are in a good position to look after those in our care involves looking after our own health and wellbeing. Donato Tallo, by email
TWEETS OF THE WEEK Still wondering why teaching kindness has become a growth industry in the #NHS. What happened to medical and nurse training? And your Mum? @NHSwhistleblowr
Horrific stories about nurses in hardship because of austerity measures and pay freezes from RCN member support services – shocking! @smyth_janice
I was overweight in school, and hated it. I lost the weight to enter nursing – I wanted to practise what I preach #NScomment @GGByrneSTN
Regardless of why they aren’t being discharged from hospital, they are still humans, not bedblockers. Hate that saying @MerrellJames
What’s the point of being an NHS centre of excellence if you don’t even say hello to your patients or ask if they are ok? #hellomynameis @SusieThoms
NIGHTINGALE MARCH 1975 SET TO CELEBRATE 40TH ANNIVERSARY I am organising the Nightingale School March 1975 set’s 40th anniversary reunion. This will take place on Saturday May 16, at a time and venue to be decided. We would love to see as many of you as possible. Please contact me at [email protected] for further information. Sara (Gilly) Gilbart, by email
REUNIONS Are you planning a reunion or trying to trace former colleagues? Email [email protected] with the details and we will post them at www.nursing-standard.co.uk
‘Would be good to have more one to one advice from nurses’ #Diabetes @patientopinion
Lastly, thankful for my fellow nursing students who motivate me and push me to do my best! We may argue, but I know you’ll always have my back @Nursingstress @RNStudentLife
Follow Nursing Standard @NScomment and join the #NScomment chat on Thursdays at 12.30pm
NURSING :: voluses 29 no 14 :: permission. 2014 35 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 20, 2015. For personal december use only. No3other without Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
A GREAT DEAL OF GOOD WORK GOES UNRECOGNISED IN SOCIAL CARE The Care Quality Commission (CQC), government, commissioners and providers have work to do in improving the care we offer older and vulnerable adults. But there is a great deal of excellent care provided all year round by caring and compassionate people that goes unrecognised and unrewarded. Instead of relentlessly aiming its fire at social care providers, which are going through their toughest ever period, the CQC should be pressing the government to put more money into social care through a fairer apportioning of NHS funding. If people are told often enough that planes crash, they stop flying. If you tell them there is salmonella in eggs, they stop eating eggs. If organisations such as the CQC keep saying social care is poor – neglecting to mention that most of it is good – people will stop using social care services, and then we will be in a very sorry mess. Mike Padgham, chair, Independent Care Group, York and North Yorkshire, Scarborough
GOOD HYDRATION IS AS IMPORTANT FOR US AS IT IS FOR OUR PATIENTS I support your Eat Well, Nurse Well campaign to improve the health of nurses, midwives
and healthcare assistants (tinyurl.com/q9dmwg4). It is good to see the campaign being backed by NHS chief executive Simon Stevens and England’s top public health nurse Viv Bennett (News November 19). I am also pleased that one of the five points of the Healthy Helpings charter is to ensure that vending machines are stocked with water instead of soft drinks. Many nurses, especially those working on acute hospital wards, spend a great deal of time each day encouraging their patients to take plenty of fluids and keep well hydrated. Many of those same nurses do not maintain an adequate level of hydration for themselves, particularly on long, busy shifts. We must look after our colleagues and ourselves, as well as our patients. It is important to use every opportunity to have a drink, particularly when we are busy and rushed off our feet. Part of our responsibility for making sure we are in a good position to look after those in our care involves looking after our own health and wellbeing. Donato Tallo, by email
TWEETS OF THE WEEK Still wondering why teaching kindness has become a growth industry in the #NHS. What happened to medical and nurse training? And your Mum? @NHSwhistleblowr
Horrific stories about nurses in hardship because of austerity measures and pay freezes from RCN member support services – shocking! @smyth_janice
I was overweight in school, and hated it. I lost the weight to enter nursing – I wanted to practise what I preach #NScomment @GGByrneSTN
Regardless of why they aren’t being discharged from hospital, they are still humans, not bedblockers. Hate that saying @MerrellJames
What’s the point of being an NHS centre of excellence if you don’t even say hello to your patients or ask if they are ok? #hellomynameis @SusieThoms
NIGHTINGALE MARCH 1975 SET TO CELEBRATE 40TH ANNIVERSARY I am organising the Nightingale School March 1975 set’s 40th anniversary reunion. This will take place on Saturday May 16, at a time and venue to be decided. We would love to see as many of you as possible. Please contact me at [email protected] for further information. Sara (Gilly) Gilbart, by email
REUNIONS Are you planning a reunion or trying to trace former colleagues? Email [email protected] with the details and we will post them at www.nursing-standard.co.uk
‘Would be good to have more one to one advice from nurses’ #Diabetes @patientopinion
Lastly, thankful for my fellow nursing students who motivate me and push me to do my best! We may argue, but I know you’ll always have my back @Nursingstress @RNStudentLife
Follow Nursing Standard @NScomment and join the #NScomment chat on Thursdays at 12.30pm
NURSING :: voluses 29 no 14 :: permission. 2014 35 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 20, 2015. For personal december use only. No3other without Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
