As trustees of the RCN Foundation we were considering the next steps in funding projects that were innovative and previously unresearched. We are clear that that there are significant and growing number of nursing staff working in care and nursing homes. We recognise that they are of growing importance to the delivery of health care yet realised we know little about them.
After in depth discussions the Foundation called for tenders to carry out a scoping exercise with a theme of ‘patient care and professional development for nursing staff in care and nursing homes’ to inform us on the areas of work we could best make a difference to with future project funding. The University of York provided a clear view on how they could map the current care and nursing home landscape in the UK and assess the pressing issues facing nursing staff working in these environments and their ability to work in partnership was clear. It is likely that this productive partnership will help us as trustees to better understand the complexity of this important area of nursing. We are looking forward to hearing every contributors views and this will be critical in helping to focus the Foundation’s future project grants strategy.
Sounds like a worthwhile project and lets hope there is maximum engagement from everyone so that older people throughout the UK are better supported rather than the view that a post code lottery currently exists in terms of good care for older people or at least that is one view prevailing given the bad press there has been recently.
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