Written - Hospital Cleanliness and Expanding the Role of the Hospital Sister

This statement sets out my intention to expand the role of hospital sisters giving them more power to improve ward cleanliness, standards of care and protect patients’ meal times.

This initiative arises from representations made directly to me by the Royal College of Nursing and other staff and professional leaders in Wales concerning these important issues. There is ample evidence, from research and lay opinion, such as visitors and family members, that issues of cleanliness and meeting the nutritional needs of patients have direct implications for wider matters of patient recovery, length of stay and delayed transfer of care.

In order to take this forward, a Task and Finish Group is being established, drawn from staff groups directly engaged in these issues at ward level. The Group will look at ways of giving sisters more responsibility and the leadership and management skills needed to manage wards effectively. We must ensure that our ward sisters are equipped to deliver the service we wish them to provide.

The Group will also look at whether sisters should have the authority to restrict visiting times to ensure patients have enough time to rest and eat their meals.

It will also explore whether on-site changing facilities should be re-introduced in hospitals and if nurses should have a new nationally-recognised uniform.  The uniform is symbolic of the individual and the organisation. I want to ensure that anyone entering our hospitals in Wales knows immediately who is a nurse and who is ‘in charge’.

These proposals aim to deliver on a commitment in the One Wales document to improve hospital cleanliness.

The Task and Finish Group will explore and make recommendations on:

• Ways in which ward sisters can be empowered to take full control of their ward environment;
• Patient nutrition;
• Visiting times;
• Ward cleaning; and,
• A new national uniform for nurses.

The membership of the Task and Finish Group will include representatives from:

• Nursing Division, Department for Public Health and Health Professions, Welsh Assembly Government;
• Capital  Planning and Estates Division, Department for Health and Social Services, Welsh Assembly Government;
• Regional Nursing Officers, Welsh Assembly Government;
• Community Health Council;
• Royal College of Nursing;
• Royal College of Midwives;
• Unison;
• Welsh Nursing and Midwifery Committee;
• Nurse Executive Wales; and,
• Cyngor which represents Academia and education providers.

Detailed terms of reference for the Group’s work are now being drawn up. I have asked that initial recommendations are with me by the New Year.