Nurses the backbone of the NHS – First Minister

On Florence Nightingale’s birthday the First Minister Carwyn Jones has thanked all the nurses who work in the NHS for their hard work and dedication.

 

In a recorded message for the Royal College of Nursing to celebrate International Nurses’ Day on the 12th May, he set out how important the nursing profession is to the health service of Wales.

The First Minister said:

“Nurses are at the heart of our NHS. They are the service’s backbone, the people who work tirelessly day after day to provide care when we most need it.

“Nurses represent the single largest profession within the NHS in Wales and without them it simply couldn’t operate. The work that nurses do is vital in making sure the people using the health service receive the best care possible.

“Nurses spend the most time with patients. They define the patient’s experience of care. Nurses explain, inform, comfort and support people and their families through their treatment in often difficult circumstances.

“And that is why International Nurses’ Day is so important. It is an opportunity for all of us to say thank you. Thank you for your professionalism, thank you for your care.

“Nurses’ day is a celebration of the hard work and commitment Nurses provide around the clock. For me it is another opportunity to re-emphasise the Welsh Government’s ongoing commitment to the NHS in Wales and the nursing profession.

“Again, I would like to thank nurses for all that they do.”