Thank you, Scotland, for helping to save English health visiting and school nursing services. Following a successful UK-wide petition, Hampshire County Council has reconsidered its position and will no longer be proceeding with previously proposed cuts to health visiting and school nursing services. Alison Morton, Executive Director of the Institute of Health Visiting has written…
Healthcare Improvement Scotland publish draft standards for Infection Prevention and Control
Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) has announced that the draft standards for Infection Prevention and Control are now available to download from: healthcareimprovementscotand.org You are encouraged to provide feedback on all aspects of the standards, including rationale, the standard statement and criteria. The consultation is now live and will be available until Tuesday 7th December 2021.…
Healthier Pregnancies, Better Lives poster in VHS Annual Conference final
Why should a VHS member become a partner in Scotland’s Coalition for Healthier Pregnancies, Better Lives? It would be easy to ignore or dismiss the invitation from the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland to join this emerging coalition. After all, your organisation’s ‘to do’ list is already full. Your budget already over-stretched. Preconception health, education and…
QNIS applauds decision to fortify flour with folic acid
The Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland has heralded today’s announcement that most UK flour will be fortified with folic acid (Vitamin B9) as an important public health victory. QNIS staff members have been advocating for UK-wide fortification of flour and other staple foods for many years. More than 80 other countries have already taken this step…
The missing link in COVID-19 recovery plans
Open letter from Prof Clare Cable, Chief Executive and Nurse Director, and Sir Paul Grice, Chair of Council, Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland Everyone wants a robust recovery from the ravages of COVID-19 but this aspiration will not be fully realised unless, and until, investment in community nursing becomes a priority. From day one of this global pandemic, Scotland’s 15,000 community nurses have…
Community Learning Disability Standards Launched
The Queen’s Nursing Institute and Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland have published new voluntary standards for Community Learning Disability Nurses in the UK. The standards articulate the specific elements of advanced practice demonstrated by Registered Nurses who have completed a Community Learning Disability Nurse (CLDN) Specialist Practitioner Qualification (SPQ) programme. It is anticipated that the new…
Longer-term approach needed to PPE planning
The rise in PPE prices at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic increased costs for the body that provides support services to the NHS by over £37 million. An Audit Scotland briefing published today (June 17) looks at how the Scottish Government and NHS National Services Scotland put in place arrangements to procure, store and…
Queen’s Nurses Join Calls to Drive Global Vaccination Efforts
The G7 Summit takes place in the UK on 11-13 June 2021. As world leaders meet, 127 Queen’s Nurses from across the UK have signed a joint letter to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, urgently calling on him and the other G7 leaders to extend their support for the World Health Organization’s COVAX programme, which…
Poetry Prescribed on International Nurses Day
The Scottish Poetry Library have today launched their poetry anthology To Mind Your Life, Poems for Nurses & Midwives coinciding with International Nurses Day 2021. The anthology will be gifted to every graduating nurse and midwife in Scotland for the next three years and is intended to provide them with support, comfort and inspiration during their first…
NMC Consultation on Post-Registration Standards
Now is the opportunity for all nurses to contribute to the future of post-registration education and practice for community nurses by responding to the NMC’s consultation. It is important that our regulator hears from you, whether you hold an SCPHN or SPQ or not, this is about the future and your views matter. Please read the NMC introduction…