Vaughan Gething has paid tribute to nursing and midwifery staff in Wales, calling for further improvement to the quality and experience of care for all who use the NHS.

Speaking at the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales’ fifth showcase conference in Cardiff, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport, Vaughan Gething today paid tribute to nursing and midwifery staff in Wales, calling for further improvement to the quality and experience of care for all who use the NHS.

The theme of this year’s conference was: ‘The Spirit of Nursing – keeping the connection’. It focussed on celebrating excellence by sharing best practice, exploring the challenges of extending nurses’ skills whilst ensuring high quality personal care for those who need it.

The audience included registered nurses; midwives; specialist community public health nurses; health care support workers; students; academics and representatives from professional trade unions.

Speaking after the conference Vaughan Gething said:

“Nurses are the beating heart of the NHS in Wales.

“Everyone involved in our health service has an invaluable role to play, but nurses truly are on the front line. As the recent Nuffield Trust report suggests, developing their skills is vital to ensure the NHS can meet the changing demands of patient care.

“When I visit health boards across the country in the coming months, I will look forward to listening to everyone working in the profession, especially nursing and midwifery staff. I place a very high value on listening to their direct experience of delivering healthcare in Wales.

“I’d like to thank the Chief Nursing Officer for asking me here today to speak at her conference. This is my first week in the job; it is a great privilege and honour to hold this position.  I look forward to working tirelessly to improve the quality and experience of care for all who use the health services in Wales.”

Chief Nursing Officer, Professor Jean White said:

“I was delighted that the Cabinet Secretary was able to come here today to speak at this important conference. His appreciation of the nursing and midwifery professions was clear to see and I look forward to working with him to celebrate and share the good practice that’s taking place across Wales.”