In life, you sometimes get to meet really great people with a real passion for, and commitment to, their profession. I want to begin by paying tribute to such a person, who was a previous chair of the Wound Care Alliance UK (WCAUK). Michelle Deeth, who some of you will know as Michelle Greenwood, passed away recently aged 55. It is a sad loss for her two children and her family and a great loss to nursing and tissue viability. Many of you will have known Michelle, perhaps from WCAUK events, where she always added humour to her presentations, and for her many publications. Michelle also worked with me in an honorary contract in clinical practice and her commitment to quality was ever present. Michelle was very kind to me and became a very good friend and I will certainly miss her.
The loss of such a great nurse made the latest news from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) all the more relevant as I reflected on what it is that attracts people to become a nurse, develop their knowledge and skills and maintain that commitment over a 35–40 year career.
The latest information highlights how things are changing. The number of nursing and midwifery staff across the UK has risen to 758 303, which the NMC (2022) report is the highest number ever. Of course, it is the detail that matters and these figures are made up of 704 520 nurses, 40 165 midwives, 6744 dual registrants and 6874 nursing associates. It is interesting to note that there has also been an increase in registrants from outside the UK.
Although the register has grown, so too has the number of people leaving the professions. In total, 27 133 people left the register, in the year to March 2022, which is 3000 more nurses and nursing associates compared to the previous year.
The lack of nursing staff is a real concern and many of you expressed this at the recent WCAUK conference in Exeter. The pandemic has raised the profile of the NHS generally and of nursing specifically. Workplace pressures (intensified during and since the pandemic), training and funding require a significant review. New ways of approaching and providing innovative education are needed and funding is clearly a key issue. It is now 6 years since the removal of the bursary for nursing in England. Safe staffing levels and appropriate pay are increasing concerns and it is reported that nurses' salaries have consistently fallen behind the cost of living (Royal College of Nursing, 2022).
Is there a need for more apprenticeships within healthcare? Recruitment and retention has never been more important and the loss of a professional colleague is a sharp reminder of one's own increasing age and thus potential need for personal health care.
This editorial began by recognising an individual with real passion for and commitment to their profession and I will end with a similar observation, but for a very different reason.
Recognition is important and I said in my last editorial that the WCAUK was pleased to support the Wound Care Award at the BJN Awards. Neesha Oozageer Gunowa, a doctoral researcher at Oxford Brookes University, was the winner. Unfortunately, she could not attend on the night but I have since met her online. She is an inspirational and truly committed professional. Her research on skin tone diversity in nurse education is a real paradigm shift.
Nursing has the potential to make a fundamental difference to the care provided within the NHS. It has been my privilege to meet inspirational nurses and I look forward to meeting with you at the next WCAUK conference on Thursday 6 October 2022. Further details are on the WCAUK website (https://www.wcauk.org).
Many of the WCAUK members have said they appreciate information relating to the National Wound Care Strategy Programme (NWCSP). The latest newsletter is available at https://tinyurl.com/4jxunurn and there is also a NWCSP webinar covering lower limb care available (https://tinyurl.com/46bm5rrt).
Do enjoy your summer break and I hope to see you in October.