Health Minister thanks Chief Nursing Officer for her leadership as she resigns from role

By Q Radio News

Health Minister Robin Swann has wished NI’s Chief Nursing Officer Professor Charlotte McArdle well in her new role.

Professor McArdle has accepted the post of Deputy CNO for Patient Safety & Improvement with NHS England

The Minister said: “I want to thank Charlotte for her leadership and dedicated service to nursing and midwifery, the Department and the wider Health and Social Care system, especially during the pandemic.

“She has been a very strong advocate for nursing and midwifery – and not least for investment in our nursing workforce. She leaves her Northern Ireland role with nursing and midwifery university places at their highest ever level and a clear plan to stabilise the workforce through the Nursing and Midwifery task group report.

“I wish Charlotte every success in her new role and congratulate her on the appointment.”

Professor McArdle has held the post of NI’s Chief Nursing Officer since March 2013.

Meanwhile,

The Royal College of Nursing [RCN] and the Royal College of Midwives [RCM] have jointly expressed their significant concerns regarding the resignation of the Chief Nursing Officer [CNO] at the Department of Health.

To lose such an experienced nursing leader when our health and social care services are under unprecedented pressure from a worldwide pandemic will cause significant instability to the nursing and midwifery professions in Northern Ireland.

We are in urgent need of strong nursing and midwifery leadership to deliver the service transformation required to develop high quality health services for our population.

We have formally written to the Permanent Secretary to outline our concerns. We have also raised these concerns directly with the Minister for Health and the Chair of the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Health, and will continue to do so until they are appropriately addressed.