News

Ghanaian nurses visit RCN HQ to exchange best nursing practice

A delegation of nurses from Ghana visited the RCN headquarters in London today to exchange tips on strengthening nursing leadership and shaping health policy

The RCN has hosted a delegation of nurses from Ghana to share ideas and best practice on nursing leadership and influencing government on health policies through the use of evidence and research.

Kwaku Asante-Krobea and Cecilia Anim

Members of the Ghana Registered Nurses’ Association, including president Kwaku Asante-Krobea, visited the RCN headquarters in London and met with key figures from the college.

They were welcomed by RCN president Cecilia Anim, who is a native Ghanaian and the meeting was chaired by RCN senior international adviser Susan Williams.

RCN head of policy Howard Catton spoke about how the college engages with people within the top tiers of government to shape and influence health policy using evidence and research while RCN director of nursing and services delivery, and incoming president, Janet Davies explained the nursing structures in the UK and about the new model for revalidation coming into effect next year.

Both organisations discussed the common issues and challenges the nursing profession faces in their countries, including pay, working conditions and staffing levels.

The Ghanaian nurses’ visit to London was part of a ten-day tour of nursing in the UK, during which they also attended the RCN congress in Bournemouth.

Ms Asare-Allotey said: ‘We have been struggling to impress upon employers that it is good to create the right commitment, environment and staffing numbers, and that skill mix is very important.’

Mr Asante-Krobea discussed the negative consequences arising from the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana, explaining how it has added increasing pressures on the health service and resulted in some patients not getting the best medication or care.

He also expressed concerns about the deteriorating nurse-to-patient ratios in healthcare settings in Ghana.

‘Recently we have had concerns about how the quality of care will be when there is just one nurse to 22 patients,’ he said. ‘We are letting the government know we are not going to get by magic good quality of care for patients with these ratios.’

Photo gallery: Ghana Registered Nurses’ Association visits RCN