NFR believes it is no longer acceptable for nurses
to sign up to careers in public sector healthcare
only to find they are unable to access the resources
and autonomy they need to do their work. It rejects
bland egalitarianism in favour of contestability.
And it believes in people - not politics.
Above all else, NFR believes that greater partnership
with the private sector is to be actively welcomed
and that this sector’s contributions are
good news for patients and healthcare professionals
alike.
As front line practitioners, nurses know only
too well that we have to find new and better ways
of organising, delivering and funding healthcare.
In an age of fast moving consumerism, people are
no longer prepared to tolerate unresponsive, inefficient
and uniform services. People want quality and
they want to be in control. They want to be empowered
with information and they want to be able to access
health brands that they can trust.
Today, too many nursing trade unions and representative
bodies fail nurses because they invariably stick
to old and out dated agendas. Instead of championing
substantive reform - and in doing so, championing
the rights of consumers - they default to short
term platitudes such as demanding more tax payers’
money or new forms of legislative favour. Such
an approach is not only disasterous for nurses
but it is catastrophic for patients.
In 1948, the British government promised: “The
NHS will provide all medical, dental and nursing
care. Everyone - rich or poor – can use
it”. In many other European countries politicians
made similar promises.
Yet, sixty years on from the end of the Second
World War, Europe is a very different place and
increasing numbers of people recognise the limitations
of what the public sector can offer.
NFR believes in fundamental change and in telling
the truth. It believes that only by putting patients
and consumers interests’ first will healthcare
improve. It is only when healthcare is opened
up to real consumers and trusted brands that nurses
will find themselves working in a sustainable
environment with the incentives, resources and
encouragement to deliver a responsive, popular
and truly high quality service.
