Care Bill [HL]

Debate between Lord MacKenzie of Culkein and Baroness Emerton

Wednesday 12th June 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Emerton]

I rise to speak to Amendment 59 which includes the Chief Nursing Officer in the list of those participating in the authority. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, for his words on this point. I have raised the issue of the importance of evidence-based practice and the need for us to be able to develop research within the nursing profession where, to date, it has not been at the forefront of progress. Having the Chief Nursing Officer taking part in the work of the research authority, although perhaps not in its detailed content, will assist in raising the profile of the importance of research. It may well be delegated from the CCGs to the health trusts, where we may see professors of research, which will then encourage research throughout. The nursing profession is the largest single workforce within the NHS. It is important that we promote the idea and development of research by having the Chief Nursing Officer in the list.

While on this subject, it is encouraging to see the list in the Bill. When the Health Bill was introduced, health education was not included and the membership of Health Education England was not clearly set out. Although it does not relate to research, I would like to mention the importance of having an executive nurse on the health education board, because there is an executive doctor, but not an executive nurse. Perhaps I can return to this when we come to Report.

[Lord MacKenzie of Culkein]

My Lords, I rise briefly to speak to Amendments 58C and 59. The noble Lord, Lord Hunt, and the noble Baroness, Lady Emerton, rightly referred to including nursing in the Bill.

As the noble Baroness, Lady Emerton, said, the practice of nursing these days is underpinned by research. Of necessity, nurses are involved in research, and it must be right to include the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Chief Nursing Officer in the Bill.

In debates on the Bill, we have heard a number of times that it is all too easy to exclude nurses. Whatever body they should be represented on, they so often are not there. I can go back, probably the better part of 40 years, maybe more, to when I once had the temerity to ask my matron to raise something at the hospital management committee. She said to me, “I’m sorry, nurse, I can’t, because I only attend by invitation of the group secretary”.

There have probably been about 20 reorganisations—I forget how many—since those days. However, all too often the situation has not changed and nurses remain excluded. The reason for excluding them, very often, is that the legislation does not cover it and therefore it is not necessary for nurses to be included. We now have the opportunity. Let us have nursing in the Bill. If we are going to have lists, as the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, said, I want to see nurses in it. I hope that the Committee will support that.