Health
secretary John Reid has praised the work of nurses and called for them to play
a greater role in the overall running of the NHS.
In
a speech to managers at the Chief Nursing Officer’s conference in Brighton, he
said nurses played a vital role in the service and set out his vision for the
future of the job.
Reid
said that he wanted to encourage a new generation of entrepreneurial nurses
that would take the initiative in creating and implementing new ideas.
"In
my vision, nurses are winning contracts to provide services… and they are
running practices – let’s have more nurses employing more doctors. Nurses are
commissioned to run integrated care services for diabetes or heart failure
patients.
"Nurses
and midwives need to be supported to take risks safely, be less rule-bound and
less hierarchical.
"Encourage
them to be confident and to know that their skills are what patients need and
that they have an equal place at the top table and the bedside," he added
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Reid
also reiterated his belief that nurses have to play a key role in extending
choice and helping patients to exercise choice.
