Standing up for Nursing Support Workers

This special edition of Nursing Matters focuses on our brilliant nursing support workers across the UK, to recognise their invaluable contribution as the RCN celebrates its annual Nursing Support Workers’ Day. We’re talking about the critical roles they play, how they deserve better recognition, and why this vital but often neglected element of the nursing workforce should get the best education and training opportunities for career development. Our special guests are Tara Johnson, a healthcare assistant working with children and young people at Torbay Hospital, and Richard Griffin, Professor of Healthcare Management at King’s College, London. “I have a thing, every time I go to work, which is as long as I make one person smile on my shift, I've done my job.” Tara Johnson, Healthcare Assistant working with children and young people “The amount of skills and training and support I've got to get to where I am now and the amount I've achieved with that support is absolutely incredible.” Tara Johnson “Workforces that reflect their local populations have better health outcomes, and also tend to be more diverse as well.” Richard Griffin, Professor of healthcare management at King's College London “I hope that support workers everywhere feel not only that their employers and colleagues value them but the NHS as a whole values them.” Nursing Matters is presented by PNC chair Rachel Hollis PNC Member for Wales Carolyn Middleton.. We want know what YOU want us to discuss on the podcast. Let us know by tweeting @theRCN with the tag #NursingMatters Presented by Rachel Hollis and Carolyn Middleton. Audio production by Alex Rees. Assistant producer Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music: ‘Snappy’ by Jonathan Boyle under licence from premiumbeat.com. Nursing Matters is a Podmasters Production for the RCN. https://www.rcn.org.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices