An RCN Branch Quarterly Newsletter Issue 34 Spring 2019

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OUTER SW LONDON RCN BRANCH NEWSLETTER

In this edition

Page 1 Branch news and Regional update

Page 3 Branch AGM + Autumn of Learning Event

Page 3 Nurses DayPage 42018 Programme + Useful information

Branch Walks4Wards Branch Stewards Mike Smith and Gerry Cotter successfully completed an 8 mile walk between Epsom & St Helier Hospitals in April. Gerry and colleagues were raising money for their Special Care Baby Unit whilst Mike’s

sponsorship money went to support the more general ward funds which will buy extra resources and equipment to support staff and patients throughout the Trust. Around 250 staff, families and supporters took part in the walk including chief executive Daniel Elkeles and the event aimed to raise £20,000.

Branch meeting aids Financial planning The first Branch meeting of 2019 took place at St Helier Hospital in March where the Branch was updated about local, regional and national RCN news. Both ends of the Branch noted high level of registered nursing posts remaining unfilled and that one of the main objectives for the RCN this year would be the safe staffing campaign in England where no legislation

currently exists. The second half of the meeting brought professional financial advisor James Medrow DipPFS, from the Lighthouse financial group, who gave us an insightful talk

on planning for savings, illness, retirement with a useful open question time at the end. Lighthouse is endorsed by the RCN as financial advisors for members and more sessions will be taking place through the year at Epsom & St Helier hospitals. Or members can book themselves appointments directly with Lighthouse, mentioning they are RCN members.

Congress 2019

RCN Congress is moving back to Liverpool this year between 19th-23rd May. We have four funded voting places for the local Branch. Four people applied (Sheila Gooljar, Abraham Ponnumpurayidom, Cynthia Young and Gloria, Nwajei – Agha) and were allocated places. They will be attending voting sessions at Congress to represent views of members in South West London.

Please contact them if you have a strong view on any of the agenda items. Contact via www.rcn.org.uk/london/get-involved/branches/outer-south-west-london

An RCN Branch Quarterly Newsletter Issue 34 Spring 2019

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‘Autumn of Learning’ big

success Over 120 members booked on to our free Autumn of Learning event jointly organised by Inner and Outer SW London Branches last November. The event was kindly hosted by St George’s Hospital, Tooting. Delegates were welcomed by Jacqueline Totterdell, CEO of St George’s Hospital and were then introduced to RCN London Regional Director, Jude Diggins who spoke about the challenges nurses face in London and how the RCN in London is supporting them

Dr John Brooks spoke on the research and benefits of daily exercise for older people and patients. Dr Helen Jones told us about the challenges of medicating agitated patients. We also had speakers on mental health issues in acute care patients and Norma Perry spoke on the strategies of improving staff well-being.

The afternoon was enlivened by 82 year old Latin American Dancer Elsa Perez got everybody on their feet dancing the afternoon away as well as Joanna Wakefield introducing us to laughing Yoga.

Members were given a free lunch and drinks through the day thanks to the generous support of Liverpool Victoria who also sponsored the event. A big thank you to Dr. Maria Ponto, Cynthia Davies, our Council member and Branch chair of Inner SW London Branch, Pat Yiggon, for their hard work to make the day such a success.

The evaluations from those who attended was very positive and provided Registered nurses with CPD hours which could be used towards their revalidation.

Members may like to note that the Lecture Theatre at Epsom Hospital has been booked for Friday 22 November for the next Autumn of Learning event with booking opening later in the year.

An RCN Branch Quarterly Newsletter Issue 34 Spring 2019

Coming Soon Nurses Day 2019 Wednesday 8th May a Nurses and Midwives awards day with guest speakers to be held at Bourne Hall, Ewell, for staff working at Epsom & St Helier NHS Trust. The Branch is helping organise this event and will have a stall with RCN resources for staff to visit during breaks to the day.

National news Professor Anne Marie Rafferty CBE FRCN has been elected RCN President for the next two years, with Yvonne Coghill CBE FRCN her Deputy President. Both have achieved great things in their specialist fields and within nursing. The #askformore safe staffing campaign has been launched in Scotland. As part of the campaign the RCN has published two reports to date, Safe and Effective Staffing: Nursing Against the Odds in September 2017 and Safe and Effective Staffing: the Real Picture in May 2017.

The message is clear: when there is a shortfall of staff, patient care suffers. Six thousand fewer mature students applied for nursing courses by the end of March 2019 deadline compared to 2016. Overall nursing degree applications have dropped by 23 per cent in the last three years. NMC registrants from overseas continue to fall and the number of mature applicants for nursing courses have significantly dropped. A recruitment campaign targeting school leavers and 5,000 extra clinical placements for student nurses are among solutions being considered by the Government to tackle the nursing workforce crisis in England.

In a letter to NHS chief execs, the people developing the Workforce Implementation Plan describe staff shortages in nursing and midwifery as “the biggest single challenge we currently face”.

They propose a number of measures to tackle the problem, including more support for students starting out in employment and plans to reduce the drop-out rate from nursing degrees.

Acting RCN Chief Executive Dame Donna Kinnair said of the plan: “It’s good to see the Workforce Implementation Group formally acknowledge what the RCN has highlighted for many years and to see many of the points I’ve raised, as a member of the group, in this letter to chief executives. “However, as a constructive member, I will keep saying it won’t be possible for all these actions to be implemented ‘within existing budgets’. The Government will need to provide significant extra resources to make these plans a reality and to deliver the ‘transformed workforce’ described. “The group will examine all available options to boost the number of entrants to nursing and midwifery courses – but those options should include the call by the RCN for ministers to invest at least £1 billion a year into nurse higher education in order urgently to increase the supply of future nurses.” The letter also outlines plans to give local areas much greater control over NHS workforce policy with responsibilities being devolved from national bodies. On this, Donna said: “We welcome moves to clarify the responsibilities of national and regional bodies in workforce planning. The RCN is clear though that accountability for Government in ensuring sufficient workforce to meet the needs of the population must be clarified.” The interim workforce plan for the NHS in England was due to be published in early April.

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An RCN Branch Quarterly Newsletter Issue 34 Spring 2019

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Dates of meetings in 2019 plus Useful

names & numbers Wednesday 8 May Nurses Day celebration for ESTH staff at Bourne Hall, Ewell 9.30 - 4.30pm

19 - 23 May RCN Congress and AGM, Liverpool Arena. Free to attend for all members

Wednesday 26 June - Branch meeting, Post Graduate Centre Seminar Room, Epsom Hospital 7 - 9om Guest speaker to be confirmed

Monday 21 October - Branch meeting, Board room, Level 5 Ferguson House, St Helier Hospital. AGM and guest speaker

Friday 22 November Free Autumn of Learning Event, Lecture Theatre, Epsom Hospital Post Graduate Education Centre.

Light refreshments are served at all meetings

Current Branch Executive: Chair & Publicity: Mike Smith Secretary Joan ChappellTreasurer Gerry Cotter Recruitment Joan Chappell Learning & Development Sheila Gooljar

Local RCN Stewards:

Mike Smith (ESH) Gerry Cotter (ESH)Kim Lewin (Community)

Health & Safety repsSheila Gooljar (Independent sector) Mike Smith (ESH) Lynette Drakes (ESTH) Sandra O’Connor (EGH) Gloria Nwajei-Agha (CUH)

Learning RepsAjay Boodhoo - (CUH) Jemaima Gubatan - Croydon CCG Cynthia Young - (CUH)

* CUH - Croydon University Hospital * ESH - Epsom and St Helier

* Community CCG’s - covering Merton & Sutton, Surrey Downs

RCN London Region, 5th Floor, 20 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0RN Tel. 0345 458 6968

Director of London Region Jude Diggens

Raising concerns, raising standards (Whistleblowing) helpline for RCN members: 0345 772 6300

RCN Member Support Services 0345 408 4391. The service offers guidance on benefit entitlement, money advice, counselling and careers.

RCN Foundation - bursaries, project grants and help for times of need or hardship - go to www.rcnfoundation.org.uk 0207 647 3645

We’re on Facebook @RCNOuterSWLondonBranch

twitter @RCN_OSWL

or our page on the RCN website

www.rcn.org.uk/london/get-involved/branches/outer-south-west-london

Find pictures, Branch events and news regularly updated. Contact Mike michael.smith11@nhs.net