On 21st February 2019 the RCN Mental Health Forum held the first ever Mental Health Nurses’ Day, which is set to be an annual event. The day is dedicated to celebrating and recognising the invaluable work mental health nurses do, which changes lives on a daily basis.
It’s no secret that the need for mental health nurses is increasing, however the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) reports that the number of registered mental health nurses has fallen. The RCN has said that they hope the initiative attracts more nurses to the specialty, by helping to remove some of the stigma attached to mental health nursing and demonstrate how rewarding it is as a career.
The day is well timed, as it comes just one day after Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, announced that NHS staff will have immediate access to mental health and wellbeing support. Talking of the plan, Matt Hancock said: “I’m so proud of the service NHS staff give, so the mental and physical wellbeing of the people who work in our health service must be our utmost priority.”
We’d like to thank all the mental health professionals for the work they do every day.
Join the conversation by using the hashtags #mhnursesday and #MentalHealthNursesDay.
