1^st December 2008

Minister highlights progress towards disability equality

The Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government will be launching a report this week which will give a snapshot of how public authorities are taking account of disability equality in their work.

The Report is to be formally launched by Social Justice Minister Dr Brian Gibbons on Wednesday, which is the International  Day of Disabled People.  The aim of the report is to assess the extent to which public authorities have interpreted and acted upon the requirements set out in the Disability Equality Duty.

It is the first time a report of this kind has been published by Welsh Ministers.

The Discrimination Act 1995 states that every three years a report about the progress being made towards improving equality of opportunity for disabled people will be published. The Minister said that this report has identified that public authorities are making good progress in meeting their duties under the act.

2^nd December 2008

MORE SUPPORT FOR NURSES’ CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Plan to aid recruitment and retention which will lead to better care

A plan to provide more support to nurses to help develop their careers within the NHS has been unveiled by the Health Minister Edwina Hart today [Tueasday, 2 December].

The plan, developed by the Welsh Assembly Government, will help NHS managers and nurse leaders support nurses with their future career development.

It outlines what is expected from nurses in the diversity of roles in which they practise, from newly qualified to leaders of the profession.

It explains what support should be available from the NHS to enable nurses to gain further experience and achieve their goals whether it is to expand their knowledge and skills within a role or to go up the career ladder.

The development of the Post Registration Career Framework comes from the publication of Designed to Realise Our Potential in June which set out the vision for the nursing and midwifery profession in Wales. Recent work in Scotland to define advanced nursing practice has also been reflected in the proposals.

Plans for nursing career structures have traditionally been developed on a UK-wide basis. However, the Department of Health considered the future of nursing as part of Lord Darzi’s review on the direction of the NHS in England. This, therefore, provided an opportunity for the Assembly Government to look at the needs of nursing in Wales, taking into account expanding the role of ward sisters and charge nurses to improve care for patients and hospital cleanliness.

Mrs Hart said: “Nurses are invaluable in delivering and improving patient care. Designed to Realise Our Potential, which was written for nurses, by nurses, reaffirmed the core principles and ethos of nursing in the year of the NHS’s 60^th anniversary.

“The strategy emphasizes the patient’s right to respect, dignity, well-being, choice and compassion. 

“It also pledged that nurses will enjoy expanded and redesigned roles. The development of the framework for qualified nurses highlights the value I, as Minister, the Assembly Government and the NHS, places on investing and developing nursing.

“This document sets out what nurses – at whatever grade – should be expected to do and what they should expect from their colleagues and managers in ensuring they can deliver that.

“There are now more than 35,500 nurses in the NHS in Wales – 13,500 (62%) more than in 1999. I believe that nursing is an attractive option for people wishing for a career in healthcare. This new document, which will clearly set out a path for career development will help encourage more people consider a nursing career as well as help retain more staff within the NHS. This can only be of benefit to patients. I would urge all nurses to read the document carefully and to have their say on what is being proposed.”

Chief Nursing Officer, Rosemary Kennedy said: "We very much hope that nurses and midwives in Wales find this framework of real use to them as they plan their future careers. Looking back, many nurses followed carrier pathways that were unplanned and sometimes ill -prepared. Some still have difficulty in knowing where to get career advice from or how to prepare themselves for their current and future roles. This document sets out the many opportunities that nurses and midwives have and the level of support that they might need to fulfil their ambitions and realise their full potential."

Director of RCN Wales, Tina Donnelly added, “The Royal College of Nursing in Wales greatly supports the development of the Post Registration Career Framework and believes that it will prove to be invaluable in delivering and improving patient care.  It will give nurses the opportunity to develop their diverse roles from newly qualified Registered Nurses to become the leaders of the profession in the 21^st century.”

The document is out to three-month consultation and all responses should be sent to the Welsh Assembly Government by 27 February 2009.

3^rd December, 2008

Guidance published to protect animal welfare

Wales is the first country in the UK to publish guidance on the welfare of dogs, cats and horses in a bid to inform people of the responsibility, time and cost involved in caring for an animal properly.

Cases of animal cruelty and abandonment continue to rise, which suggests that not all prospective pet owners have considered carefully the responsibilities associated with looking after an animal.

Recent figures from the RSPCA show that cruelty investigations rose from 105,000 in 2003 to just below 140,000 in 2007 in Wales and England. Other animal welfare charities, such as the Dogs Trust, have also seen a rise in the number of animals they must care for.

The Codes of Practice for Dogs, Cats and Equines (which includes horses and donkeys) have all-party support at the National Assembly and have been produced following extensive consultation and are welcomed by animal welfare groups. They are practical guides for people who own, or are thinking of getting a dog, cat or horse.

Launching the Codes at Greenmeadow Community Farm Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones said: “There may be people who will wonder why guidance is needed on the welfare of pet animals. The sad truth is that while many people will care for their pet and provide them with a safe home for their lifetime far too many animals are subjected to cruel treatment and are abandoned. Cruelty figures continue to rise and we only have to look at reports in the media to see that this is a very real issue. Local authorities also face costs by pursuing cruelty cases through the courts, funding which could be used for other things.

“Taking on a pet is a big responsibility. There are costs involved, such as feeding and vet fees, as well as the time that is needed to look after them properly. These guides set out what is expected if someone is considering having a pet.

“Christmas is a time when some parents may feel pressurised to buy a pet for their children without perhaps realising the financial and long-term commitment of this decision. I would urge anyone thinking of having a pet to check these guides and see if they can, in all honesty, provide the care that is needed for the animal.”

Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christianne Glossop said: “Keeping a pet is a privilege not a right, they need a great deal of care and it is the case that not everyone realises that a commitment is needed when taking on a pet. These guides aim to be a definitive explanation of what you need to consider before having a pet.”

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “The Kennel Club has been heavily involved in drafting these codes and in general, we think that these codes represent a positive step forward in this area. We congratulate the Welsh Assembly Government on being the first administration in the UK to implement these codes, and we hope this will provide owners with a greater understanding of their duty of care under the Animal Welfare Act.”

Clarrisa Baldwin OBE, chief executive of the Dogs Trust said: “Dogs Trust welcomes the implementation of the Code of Practice for dogs. Anything that can be done to improve the public’s knowledge of how dogs should be kept is very important as many welfare problems we encounter are the result of ignorance rather than deliberate neglect. Dogs Trust will be using the Codes to help advise people adopting dogs from our Centre in Bridgend to provide good care for their dogs.”

Maggie Roberts, Director of Veterinary Services at Cats Protection, said: “Cats Protection is very pleased that Wales has led the way in producing the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats. It is a positive step forward to ensure that all cats have their physical and emotional needs met.”

Roly Owers, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare, said: “World Horse Welfare welcomes the Welsh Assembly Government’s new Code of Practice for the Welfare of Equines. The Code is a critical element of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 as it sets a baseline for meeting the needs of all horses. It provides helpful advice for existing and potential horse owners, as well as greatly assisting the authorities should problems arise. It is encouraging that Wales have taken the initiative in developing this Code, which I hope will be a valuable tool in protecting the welfare of horses.”

Notes

• The Codes have been prepared under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Similar codes are being prepared in England and Scotland, which will be based on those produced in Wales.
• There are approximately 7.3million dogs and 9 million cats in Great Britain. The Equine industry is worth an estimated £300 - £400 million in Wales.
• Farm animals are already subject to Codes of Practice and the Animal Welfare Act provides the same protection for pet animals.