Florence Nightingale Foundation: what next?

What a thrill and privilege it is to have been appointed as the Chair of the Florence Nightingale Foundation. Just to be linked with the most famous nurse in the world is wonderful, but to help take forward the esteemed work of the Foundation in developing future leaders and in promoting excellence in patient care is a great honour.

I see my role as being an energetic leader of the Foundation's Board of Directors in its continuing efforts to shape the strategic direction for delivering the Foundation's mission and vision, and to be recognised as a memorial to Florence Nightingale worldwide. My personal five key aspirations are:

‘Many nurses feel unable to contribute to decisions affecting care delivery and the quality of the patient experience’

2020 marks the bicentenary of Florence Nightingale's birth and the World Health Organization has designated next year as the ‘Year of the Nurse and Midwife’ so there is much on the immediate horizon. A high spot of a variety of worldwide events will be an international nursing and midwifery conference to be held in London that will celebrate the achievements of nursing globally and also recognise the lifetime achievements of this most famous icon. The Foundation is acting as the focal point for coordination and planning purposes and is responsible for chairing a Steering Group of key stakeholders. The launch of the conference and details of the programme was announced on 15 May, the day of this year's Commemorative service in Westminster Abbey.