In joining some of the RCN Nurses on their picket line recently, I was delighted to meet the local Branch Chairwoman Jan, who invited me along to have another opportunity to speak with some of the members in a quieter setting.

The time I spent with the branch was so insightful, they shared their concerns about the future of nursing in an NHS that is suffering immense pressures. We discussed many areas of nursing and patient safety that need to be urgently addressed by the government, such as retention of students into the profession without the incentive of bursaries, compounded with student debt and financial insecurity.

Although these exemplary nurses are battling an unpredictable and difficult set of circumstances, it was inspiring to hear their own personal reasons for persevering in their careers. With the overarching reason being that they CARE, we need a government that can do the same!