Notes of Cross Party Group on Nursing and Midwifery

17 March 2015

Present:        Julie Morgan AM (Chair),

Tina Donnelly CBE, RCN Wales Director (and Secretary to Group)

Kirsty Williams AM,

Darren Millar AM,

Elin Jones AM,

David Rees AM,

Andrew R T Davies AM

Christine Edwards-Jones, RCN Welsh Board Member

Fran Harries, Guest Speaker

Lisa Turnbull, Policy and Public Affairs Adviser, RCN Wales and

Richard Jones MBE,

Professor Dame June Clark

Rory Farrelly, Director of Nursing – Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board

Denise Llewellyn, Director of Nursing  - Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

Paul Labourne – Assistant Director of Nursing – Powys Teaching Health Board

John Williams – Researcher to Kirsty Williams AM

Sian Giddins – Deputy Clerk to the Health and Social Care Committee

Susan Edmunds, RCN Adviser

Ray Harries

Liam Anstey, Policy and Public Affairs Assistant, RCN Wales

(Minutes)

Apologies:    Janet Finch-Saunders AM, Angela Burns AM, Mick Antoniw AM, Aled Roberts AM, Gaynor Jones – RCN Welsh Board Chair, Kate Parry – RCN Welsh Board Vice Chair, Christine Thomas – RCN Council Member for Wales, Ruth Walker, Director of Nursing – Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Angela Hopkins, Director of Nursing – Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Caroline Oakley, Director of Nursing – Hywel Dda University Health Board, Peter Meredith-Smith, Director – Board of Community Health Councils in Wales

1. Welcome from Julie Morgan AM, Chair

Julie Morgan AM welcomed attendees to the meeting. 

2. Opening Remarks from Tina Donnelly CBE, Director RCN Wales

Tina Donnelly gave a presentation to the meeting on the Safe Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Bill.  Mrs Donnelly also explained why the RCN believes that legislation should be used to ensure Safe Nurse Staffing Levels as opposed to Mandatory Guidance from the Minister by highlighting that only legislation will compel future Minister’s to issue statutory guidance and provide continuity between Minister’s.

3. Christine Edwards-Jones – RCN Welsh Board Member discussing her experience as a Nurse and why the Bill is necessary

Christine Edwards-Jones outlined her current role is that of a Ward Manager on a 40-bed Older People’s Medical Ward. She noted that, on average, that the Nurse: Patient Ratio is 1:8 on her ward during the day and 1:13 during the night.  Ms Edwards-Jones also explained that on some wards the ratio is 1:16 during the night. She further added that whilst the culture is changing in her Health Board, legislation is necessary to reinforce the change.  Ms Edwards-Jones made the point that nurses are on the ward 24/7 and a lack of nurses directly impacts on patient care.

4. Fran Harries discussing her experience as both a Nurse and a Patient

Fran Harries shared with the meeting her positive experience as a patient in Llandough Hospital as well as her background in nursing. Mrs Harries explained that she ‘dreaded receiving treatment’ in Llandough, partley as a result of negative media stories about patient care. However Mrs Harries explained that she received what she would describe as ‘Gold Standard Service’ with nurses having the time to properly care for and communicate with patients. Mrs Harries believes that legislation is important and necessary to improve Staffing Levels on other wards.

5. Lisa Turnbull, Policy and Public Affairs Adviser – RCN Wales on why the RCN chose to campaign for legislation.

Lisa spoke briefly emphasising the power of legislation to effect change. She noted that RCN data shows that Health Boards have never achieved the Chief Nursing Officer’s Ratio.

6. Discussion on Safe Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Bill

Following these presentations Julie Morgan AM chaired a lively discussion with participants around the Safe Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Bill. 

Julie Morgan AM formally closed the meeting at 7.30pm but participants remained for informal conversation.