Nursing: Higher Education Investment

Jim Cunningham Excerpts

Wednesday 21st November 2018 Westminster Hall

[Eleanor Smith (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

I beg to move,

That this House has considered investing in nursing higher education in England.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Davies.

I am proud to speak on an issue close to my heart. Before I entered Parliament, I was privileged to work as a nurse for almost 40 years, and last year my daughter graduated as a nurse. Nursing is an incredible profession, a fulfilling career and full of opportunities for those who choose that rewarding path. Nurses are the most trusted profession in Britain, a position they have held for years, with 96% of the public trusting nurses to tell them the truth. It may come as little surprise to hon. Members that politicians are the least trusted. Let all of us in this House show political leadership now and listen to what nursing students and nurses are telling us. They are telling us what must happen to meet the needs of communities across England.

Everywhere there are people, there are nurses, but they are not necessarily doing what we might think they are doing. Yes, nurses connect with patients and families to understand what people need, but they are also diagnosing, prescribing, performing surgery, creating care plans, delivering treatment, overseeing clinics, managing hospitals, working as chief executives and designing primary care services.

[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

My hon. Friend mentioned that nurses are valued, but if the Government really valued them, they would give them a decent wage increase and restore the education maintenance grants and, if necessary, bursaries as well. Does she agree that that would demonstrate how nurses are really valued in this country?

[Eleanor Smith]

I do agree, and my hon. Friend will hear me refer in my speech to what he has just said.