Response to CQC's annual assessment of the state of health and social care in England

Responding to the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) annual assessment of health and social care over the past year in England, Andrea Sutcliffe CBE, Chief Executive and Registrar at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), said:

“Today’s report makes clear just how vital our nursing and midwifery professionals have been in transforming the way care has been delivered since the start of this pandemic.

“But the findings also reinforce the incredible pressures and our continued concerns about the unacceptable inequalities magnified by Covid-19 for people working in and receiving health and social care services.

“From tackling the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, and the struggles faced by people with poor mental health or learning disabilities – to addressing the lack of long term planning and recognition of those working in social care – we’ve got to make sure our health and care workforce is supported and equipped to meet the demands of a new Covid era before it’s too late.

“As the regulator of more than 700,000 health and care professionals in the UK, we’ve already started to identify what our nursing and midwifery professionals need to rise to the challenges and changes of the future through the development and implementation of our new standards.

“Ensuring a fairer health and care system for all is critical. To deliver that, we need to not only recruit, but to retain and develop all of our nursing and midwifery professionals no matter where they work. That way we can make sure people continue to receive the best and safest care in the years to come.”

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