Nurse Consultants

why bother?

Derek T BarronNurse Director – Mental Health Partnership

International Council of Nursing’s Definition

Nursing encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups and communities sick or well and in all settings.

Nursing includes the promotion of health, prevention of illness, and the care of ill, disabled and dying people.

(Nursing includes) Advocacy, promotion of a safe environment, research, participation in shaping health policy and in patient and health systems management, and education are also key nursing roles. (www.icn.ch/definition.htm)

Background

1999 – Susan Deacon: Minister for Health and Community Care

2000 – Consultation on strategy for Nursing and Midwifery

03/2001 – Caring for Scotland – the Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery in Scotland

Principles for Nurse Consultant posts

Better outcomes for •Patients•Clients•Communities

Service improvementImproved quality of care

New Career opportunitiesRetain experienceExpert NursesStrengthen leadership

Principles

Collaboration with HEIs– education– research

Accountable at Board or Senior Management

Ongoing evaluation of Nurse Consultant posts

Components

“..must be firmly based in nursing .. and involve working directly with patients, clients or communities for a significant proportion of time”

An expert practice functionA professional leadership functionA consultancy functionAn education and research functionA service development function

Components

An expert practice functionhigh degree of autonomy: able to reach complex critical judgements

A professional leadership functionProfession level, service level, cross boundary, national

A consultancy functionAt individual patient level, service level, regional/national level

An education and research functionMust contribute to education, training and development of nurses

A service development functionContribute to development of professional practice – local/national

Supplementary

A portfolio of career-long learning (experience and formal education)Will have or be working towards a masters degree

Posts must be approved by SEHD

Where are we now?

NMAHP Leadership in supporting older people must be developed to drive service

improvement and enhance care pathways.

Deliverables:

Nurse Consultant posts in place in NHS Boards in Scotland.

Delivering Care, Enabling Health

RRR

Create nurse consultants posts to lead the development of mental health nursing’s contribution across the spectrum of acute in patient, crisis care and intensive home treatment services.

RRR

Create nurse consultant posts to lead the development of mental health nursing’s contribution to psychosocial interventions and psychological therapies services

RRR

•Older people

•Crisis

•Acute Inpatient

•Intensive Home Treatment

•Psychosocial Interventions

•Psychological Therapies

Nurse Consultants

WE NEED TO:

Ensure mental health nurses:

- can continue to build capacity and capability in developing the evidence base for mental health nursing interventions

- are involved in contributing to research into recovery in Scotland.

RRR

WE NEED TO:

- create a more robust climate of learning, development, evaluation and research across the mental health nursing community in NHS Scotland.

RRR

Greater Glasgow & Clyde

Perinatal

Learning Disabilities

Eating Disorders

Psychosocial Interventions

?

Final thoughtIt’s not just Nurse Consultants who contribute to better patient experience!

It’s not just Nurse Consultants who contribute to better outcomes!

It’s not just Nurse Consultants who are leaders!

It’s not just Nurse Consultants who contribute to research!

It’s not just Nurse Consultants ……..

YOU have a major part to play.

Discussion

Succession Planning Experience of working with NCs

Areas to develop