It appears the ministry wants prisoners to ‘earn’ their privileges. But I would argue that acquisition of knowledge is a basic right. Books are sometimes the only means that prison educators have at their disposal to help prisoners develop powers of reasoning and judgement – and to help prevent reoffending. It is encouraging that a chorus of protest has erupted, but mental health nurses should also make their voices heard. If not, they will be left to deal with some of the psychological fallout of this directive. Zeba Arif, by email
HELP US TO OVERTURN PROHIBITION ON SENDING BOOKS TO PRISONERS The Howard League for Penal Reform is campaigning to reverse a Ministry of Justice ban on family and friends sending books to prisoners. We are asking our supporters to tweet a ‘shelfie’ picture to the Ministry of Justice Twitter account: @MoJGovUK. A shelfie is a picture of your bookshelf and represents the books that you would like to be able to send to prisoners. An example of the tweet to go with your picture would read: ‘.@MoJGovUK Here’s my shelfie for prisoners! @TheHowardLeague #booksforprisoners #shelfie.’ If you do not use Twitter, you can email your picture to us at [email protected]. If you are not a member of the Howard League, please join up at www.howardleague.org and help us make a real difference. We need more members to create a mass movement for change. Frances Crook, chief executive, Howard League for Penal Reform, London
A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF HOW AND WHY CAMPAIGNING CAN GET RESULTS I am writing to thank all your readers who supported the Hands Off George Eliot Hospital campaign. The Warwickshire hospital was put under special measures after major failings, but will no longer face a takeover.
NURSING STANDARD
It was announced on March 27 that the bidding process for another NHS trust or private company to take over the hospital has been halted and will not be resumed. The immediate threat of privatisation has been removed and we can breathe a sigh of relief that the hospital is still under NHS management. There are lessons to be learned from this. The first is that campaigning works, particularly when alliances are forged between local people, healthcare staff, unions and campaigns such as Keep Our NHS Public. In the face of the government’s determination to privatise the NHS, it is essential to create broad campaigns that allow the public to get involved in actively expressing their opposition. If we want the NHS to remain a publicly provided and publicly accountable service, we are going to have to fight for it. Stephen Cowden, Leamington Spa
THANKS TO RCN AND UNISON FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF NHS DIRECT MEMBERS I write this with sadness on March 26, the last day of patient contact as NHS Direct prepares for the closure of business on March 31. More than 100 nurses and many other NHS Direct staff have been made redundant. The loss of NHS Direct services will be felt by many patients, as well as the wider NHS. As a senior nurse adviser at NHS Direct, I developed many skills, including telephone triage and negotiation, and enjoyed my work. As an RCN representative and RCN staff-side chair, I also learned a great deal, attending meetings and consultations on the closure of sites and dissolution of the business. Throughout this time, the RCN worked in partnership with Unison to support our members, as well as with NHS Direct. I would like to thank RCN national officer Gary Kirwan for his support and guidance. Belinda Whitehead, by email
TWEETS OF THE WEEK The NMC needs to remember that not all of us work full time or on NHS pay rates. As a part-time practice nurse with no pay rise, it’s hard @lynneictfan
Q for me, if NMC has linked fee rise to FtP increase, then where does it end? What’s the ceiling? #NScomment @gracenglorydan
Got patient (who has no money) a free secondhand bicycle today by asking for a giveaway bicycle on the hospital’s website forum #kindness @nurse_w_glasses
The nurses go out of their way to support you, even though they are short staffed #diabetes @MedwayNHS #NHS @patientopinion
As a pt I wonder if nurses now live in a culture of fear. Not ticking the box = not done = fear of discipline action. Makes me sad @TinyTonyH
Do we fight shy of words like ‘compassion’ and ‘care’ in mental health? Hide behind ‘treatment’, ‘support’, ‘work with’ ... #wenurses @WeMHNurses
My rule when thinking about CAMHS = would we accept the same standard in children’s heart surgery? My answer is usually no @BCHBoss
Follow Nursing Standard @NScomment and join the #NScomment chat on Thursdays at 12.30pm april 2 :: vol 28 no 31 :: 2014 37
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HELP US TO OVERTURN PROHIBITION ON SENDING BOOKS TO PRISONERS The Howard League for Penal Reform is campaigning to reverse a Ministry of Justice ban on family and friends sending books to prisoners. We are asking our supporters to tweet a ‘shelfie’ picture to the Ministry of Justice Twitter account: @MoJGovUK. A shelfie is a picture of your bookshelf and represents the books that you would like to be able to send to prisoners. An example of the tweet to go with your picture would read: ‘.@MoJGovUK Here’s my shelfie for prisoners! @TheHowardLeague #booksforprisoners #shelfie.’ If you do not use Twitter, you can email your picture to us at [email protected]. If you are not a member of the Howard League, please join up at www.howardleague.org and help us make a real difference. We need more members to create a mass movement for change. Frances Crook, chief executive, Howard League for Penal Reform, London
A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF HOW AND WHY CAMPAIGNING CAN GET RESULTS I am writing to thank all your readers who supported the Hands Off George Eliot Hospital campaign. The Warwickshire hospital was put under special measures after major failings, but will no longer face a takeover.
NURSING STANDARD
It was announced on March 27 that the bidding process for another NHS trust or private company to take over the hospital has been halted and will not be resumed. The immediate threat of privatisation has been removed and we can breathe a sigh of relief that the hospital is still under NHS management. There are lessons to be learned from this. The first is that campaigning works, particularly when alliances are forged between local people, healthcare staff, unions and campaigns such as Keep Our NHS Public. In the face of the government’s determination to privatise the NHS, it is essential to create broad campaigns that allow the public to get involved in actively expressing their opposition. If we want the NHS to remain a publicly provided and publicly accountable service, we are going to have to fight for it. Stephen Cowden, Leamington Spa
THANKS TO RCN AND UNISON FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF NHS DIRECT MEMBERS I write this with sadness on March 26, the last day of patient contact as NHS Direct prepares for the closure of business on March 31. More than 100 nurses and many other NHS Direct staff have been made redundant. The loss of NHS Direct services will be felt by many patients, as well as the wider NHS. As a senior nurse adviser at NHS Direct, I developed many skills, including telephone triage and negotiation, and enjoyed my work. As an RCN representative and RCN staff-side chair, I also learned a great deal, attending meetings and consultations on the closure of sites and dissolution of the business. Throughout this time, the RCN worked in partnership with Unison to support our members, as well as with NHS Direct. I would like to thank RCN national officer Gary Kirwan for his support and guidance. Belinda Whitehead, by email
TWEETS OF THE WEEK The NMC needs to remember that not all of us work full time or on NHS pay rates. As a part-time practice nurse with no pay rise, it’s hard @lynneictfan
Q for me, if NMC has linked fee rise to FtP increase, then where does it end? What’s the ceiling? #NScomment @gracenglorydan
Got patient (who has no money) a free secondhand bicycle today by asking for a giveaway bicycle on the hospital’s website forum #kindness @nurse_w_glasses
The nurses go out of their way to support you, even though they are short staffed #diabetes @MedwayNHS #NHS @patientopinion
As a pt I wonder if nurses now live in a culture of fear. Not ticking the box = not done = fear of discipline action. Makes me sad @TinyTonyH
Do we fight shy of words like ‘compassion’ and ‘care’ in mental health? Hide behind ‘treatment’, ‘support’, ‘work with’ ... #wenurses @WeMHNurses
My rule when thinking about CAMHS = would we accept the same standard in children’s heart surgery? My answer is usually no @BCHBoss
Follow Nursing Standard @NScomment and join the #NScomment chat on Thursdays at 12.30pm april 2 :: vol 28 no 31 :: 2014 37
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 21, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
