We want to respond to the issues of most concern to patients and their carers. Our aim is to emphasise the importance of caring for patients and their carers through the delivery of essential care and effective communication. To achieve this aim our key objectives are the implementation of:

• Being with Patients – an approach emphasising the importance of professional care and effective communication with patients and carers
• Customer Care Charter – as developed by our Community Advisory Panel and emphasising how patients wish to be treated 
• Essence of Care  -  A consistent approach to improving standards of nursing practice across the Trust and the sharing of evidence based practice

It is well recognised that the environment plays an important role in the delivery of high standards of health care and can contribute to the general recovery of individual patients. Our aim is to ensure that our hospitals are clean and safe for all our patients, visitors and staff. Our key environmental objectives are:

• Continuation of the Clean Your Hands Campaign as hand washing is the most effective way to combat MRSA
• Development of a web page to provide patients, carers and staff with information about healthcare acquired infections
• Implement the Trust Clean Beds Protocol to ensure patient comfort and improve infection control

The quality of care experienced by patients is directly related to the calibre of those providing their care. Our aim is to ensure equal opportunities for nurses, midwives, support staff and students to access the support, development and training they require to care for patients. To achieve this aim our key objectives are:

• To strengthen nursing and midwifery leadership with a particular emphasis on Sisters and Charge Nurses
• Facilitate Team work by working together in our own teams and across specialities, sharing knowledge and skills and respecting those with whom we work.
• Develop innovative skills and new roles, shaped by patient need and service development 
• Ensure all staff receive appropriate mandatory training and that continuous professional development is achieved through induction, preceptorship, KSF, and appraisal.
• Celebrate nursing and midwifery achievements to share best practice.

Nurses can play a key role in helping the Trust to deliver effective services to patients. As part of this our aim is to ensure nursing resources are used effectively and efficiently to maximise time for direct patient care:

• Ensure that effective use is made of nursing time and that its main focus is direct patient care
• Review of staffing levels and skill mix to ensure patient safety is maintained and essential care delivered.
• Implement a live bed state to make best use of facilities we have in terms of patient placement.
• Demonstrate that we deliver value for money in terms of our utilization of nursing resources.

Today, Tomorrow, Together, our nursing Strategy for the next three years, has deliberately focused on key issues. We want to be able to demonstrate significant improvement. By focusing on a few key issues we will be able to achieve this. The delivery of the Strategy will be led Matrons across the Trust and overseen by the Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Group. Today, Tomorrow and Together we can improve the care we give to patients, our contribution to the Trust and our own future.