Government appoints chief nurse for adult social care to provide 'support' through winter months

Social care nurses and care workers in England will soon benefit from the leadership and advice of the first chief nurse for adult social care, who was appointed today.

Professor Deborah Sturdy has been appointed the role of chief nurse to lead, support and represent the thousands of social care workers through the winter months and help with the challenges of the pandemic.

Professor Sturdy will take up her new role on 21 December and will work closely with the minister for care and the chief nursing officer in this important role to ensure the provision of high quality, personalised, joined-up care.

The role is an interim appointment for up to six months, to further increase the professional support and expertise in the department over winter ahead of filling the post on a more permanent basis in 2021.

Interim Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Professor Deborah Sturdy said: “I am honoured to have been asked to help define a new narrative for social care nursing and support colleagues to find their voice and contribute to the development of the workforce in the coming months and work together to deliver the best care possible.

“The social care nursing and care workforce together are a powerful force to help shape and deliver the health and social care agenda. I hope that in this role I will be able to give a voice to those working in social care and develop the workforce, through the difficult months ahead and beyond.”

Prof Sturdy has held a variety of roles across both health and social care, including clinical practice, management, policy and research and will continue her role as director of Health and Wellbeing at Royal Hospital Chelsea in a part-time capacity.

’Appointment is a step towards giving care workers the recognition they deserve’

Minister for Care, Helen Whately said: “I’m delighted to welcome Deborah Sturdy as our first chief nurse for Adult Social Care.

“This is a really important new role - supporting, leading and speaking up for social care and our fantastic care workers.

“This year has shone a light on the commitment of carers across the country. Care staff and nurses have risen to the challenge of providing skilled, compassionate care in the face of the huge challenges of the pandemic.

“The appointment of a chief nurse for Adult Social Care is another step towards giving carers the support and recognition they absolutely deserve.”

One of the tasks will be to engage with the frontline nursing workforce to listen to their views and act as an advocate for their interests in government, and the sector.

Professor Sturdy will also be promoting and raising standards for the social care nursing and wider workforce and working with national and regional partners to celebrate success.

Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: “I am looking forward to working with Deborah as she takes up this vital role providing a bridge across health and social care as well as supporting the delivery of the Winter Plan for social care.

“Most importantly, this means leadership and representation at the highest level for the many thousands of social care nursing colleagues who make a difference to millions of people every day.”

Since February 2020, Professor Sturdy has worked on secondment for one day a week to the Chief Nursing Officer as strategic advisor for social care nursing. She has also provided nursing advice to the Gosport Independent Panel, set up to address concerns about the care of residents in Gosport War Memorial Hospital. Before this, Professor Sturdy was employed as Professional Nursing Advisor at the DHSC between 2000 and 2011.

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, says: “The appointment of Professor Deborah Sturdy marks an important milestone in the development of social care nursing. Deborah has extensive experience in the independent sector as well as the NHS and I am confident that she will enable better understanding of social care nursing across the health and care system.

"This role is really important, and we look forward to working with Professor Sturdy and her team."

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