Maria McIlgorm, Chief Nursing Officer
CHIEF NURSING OFFICER’S COVID-19 COMMUNICATION PLATFORM
Welcome to the digital Professional Communication Platform for Nursing & Midwifery across Northern Ireland.
This digital space provides easy access to Covid-19 related information for everyone working in nursing and midwifery including sharing news, stories and good practice.
The purpose of this platform is to host, in one place, web-links to information which is essential to keep you up-to-date during this COVID-19 response. This platform is designed to complement all the other updates you get, for example, from your employer, professional bodies, professional regulator, unions.
I want to thank each and every Nurse, Midwife, Nursing Assistant, Maternity Support Worker, Nursing and Midwifery Student for your dedication, professionalism, positivity and courage. Your contribution is highly valued by us all, those serving at the highest level of government, your multidisciplinary colleagues and most importantly, the patients, families and the communities for whom you provide care and services.
MARIA MCILGORM
CHIEF NURSING OFFICER
Minister approves Retention Initiative Report
Find out how the work of the Enhancing Clinical Care Framework and Care Homes Clinical Care Network is progressing and review the Framework co-produced to enable continuing safe, high quality and person centred clinical care within care homes.
Important COVID-19 updates:
Test & trace targeted approach will be introduced on a phased basis from 22 April 2022
Letter of thanks to NI nursing and midwifery workforce from CNO & Executive Directors of Nursing
Department of Health Covid-19 Vaccination Certification App
Department of Health Appeal for pregnant women to get vaccinated & Dr Dale Spence Midwifery Officer offering reassurance for women about the vaccine view the video
The Green Book COVID-19 Vaccine for information on:
- the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines
- the dosage and schedule for the UK
- recommendations for the use of the vaccine
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CHIEF NURSING OFFICER |
| COVID-19 Surge Capacity Microsite Launch | Launch of the Nurses for Health Equity report at WISH on the global stage, 22 June 2021. View the video Nurses at the forefront of change, challenging the status quo |
Infection Prevention Control Guidance for Adult COVID-19 vaccination clinics
Below are links to important information and updates:
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COVID-19 Department of Health Updates
Click on the links below to find out more information and to view the documents:
Department of Health – Covid-19 Updates- HSS(MD) 22/2022 UPDATED COVID-19 TESTING GUIDANCE TO SUPPORT CLINICAL PATHWAYS
- HSS(MD)21/2022 PERMANENT SUSPENSION OF THE 15 MINUTE WITH COVID-19 VACCINES
- HSS(MD)13/2022 COVID-19 SPRING BOOSTER VACCINATION PROGRAMME
- Celebrating International Women’s Day 2022 – Women Leaders in DoH thanking all the amazing women in Health & Social Care
- HSS(MD)9/2022 JCVI UPDATE ON ADVICE FOR PRIMARY COVID-19 VACCINATION OF CHILDREN AGED 5 TO 11 YEARS
- HSS(MD)2/2022 MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE STAFF WHO ARE CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID-19 – UPDATED GUIDANCE
- NG188 COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing the long-term effects of COVID-19
- NG191 COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19
- HSC Infection Risk when using FFP3 Respirators with Valves or Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) during Surgical and Invasive Procedures
- HSS(MD)71/2021 VACCINE SUPPLY FOR THE COVID-19 BOOSTER VACCINATION PROGRAMMEHSS(MD) 70/2021 UNIVERSAL VACCINATION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 12-15 YEARS AGAINST COVID-19
- HSS (MD) 69/2021 COVID-19 BOOSTER VACCINE PROGRAMME FOR WINTER 2021/22
- HSS(MD)68/2021 DEPLOYMENT OF THE PFIZER AND MODERNA COVID-19 VACCINES IN GENERAL PRACTICE – GOVERNANCE, HANDLING AND PREPARATION REQUIREMENTS
- HSS(MD) 64/2021 SEASONAL INFLUENZA VACCINATION PROGRAMME 2021/22
- HSS(MD)47/2021 – PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND HEAT: RISK OF HEAT STRESS
- HSS(MD)68/2021 DEPLOYMENT OF THE PFIZER AND MODERNA COVID-19 VACCINES IN GENERAL PRACTICE – GOVERNANCE, HANDLING AND PREPARATION REQUIREMENTS
- HSS(MD) 54/2021 – FURTHER UPDATED ADVICE FROM JCVI REGARDING CHILDREN AGED 16 AND 17 YEARS OF AGE
- HSS(MD) 52/2021 – CHANGE OF DOSE INTERVAL BETWEEN THE PFIZER-BIONTE CH AND MODERNA COVID-19 VACCINES
- HSS (MD) 38/2021 – VACCINATION PROTOCOL FOR COVID-19 VACCINE MODERNA
- COVID-19 Visiting in Care Settings Across NI from 7 May 2021
- Endorsement Process for NICE Covid-19 Rapid Guidelines
- Guidance to support Care Home visits and the use of Care Partners, it covers routes of transmission of COVID-19, donning, doffing and hand washing.
- What you need to know about visiting a hospital or care home in Northern Ireland at the moment. Easy read version
- CNO provides free access for those working across all sectors including Care Homes & Primary Care to training programmes delivered by the Clinical Education Centre www.cec.hscni.net
- Stop COVID the mobile app
- COVID-19 Dashboard
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COVID-19 Public Health Agency Updates
Click on the highlighted links below to find out more information and to view the documents:
Waiting after your COVID-19 vaccination
Public Health Agency – COVID-19 Updates
- Poster: COVID-19 testing process for care homes and what to do if there is an outbreak
- COVID-19 cluster/outbreak summary 4 weekly reports
- RCOG information for healthcare professionals and pregnant women eligible for COVID-19 vaccination COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy
- COVID-19: Guidance for maintaining services within health and care settings
- free online stress classes
- Weekly PHA COVID-19 Bulletins
- Up-to-date restrictions explained
- Guidance for professionals
- Weekly Covid-19 Bulletin
- @publichealthni
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CNO Communications
Click on the links below to find out more information:
Celebrating International Day of the Midwife 2022 view the video
Nursing & Midwifery – Strategic Retention Initiative Newsletters
ILC Report: Reducing the risk-Improving vaccine uptake across at risk groups in the UK
https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/publications/covid-19-clusteroutbreak-summary
Link Nurse Framework: supporting Nurses in HSC Trusts
NMC & UK CNOs Joint letter supporting nursing and midwifery professionals during the Covid-19 pandemic
Access CEC e-learning programmes for COVID-19 Sessional VaccinatorsIn May 2021 the then CNO Charlotte McArdle presented this 60 second Nursing Now NI video at the Global Footprint European Conference
- IDM 2021 Event – https://vimeo.com/549207828/31f2c8619f
- Minister’s message https://vimeo.com/552339936
International Nurses Day 12 May
- https://vimeo.com/547541730/c2968aff11
- View the longer video (28 mins) https://vimeo.com/546066865/b5f9aae673
Nursing Now report launched 18 May 2021: Agents of Change: the story of the Nursing Now campaign.
Nurses for health equity report (2021) important information about tackling the social determinants of health especially after Covid-19.
Nightingale 2020 Conference – 27 & 28 October 2020
Almost 500 nurses and midwives joined from across the world to debate and discuss issues relating to the professions & celebrate the role of nurses and midwives during the Covid-19 pandemic. Click on the links to view the two days recordings
Previous updates:
The Enhancing Clinical Care Framework (ECCF) for Northern Ireland Care Home residents is building on the work of the Rapid Learning Initiative that was undertaken to harness the learning from the transmission of Covid-19 into and within care homes during the first surge of the pandemic. The Care Home Clinical Care Network (CHCCN) has been established to enable collaborative working and learning with the care home sector on clinical matters and you can view information about the project on its new webpage
Nursing & Midwifery Task Group Implementation: Next Steps Framework – A Three Phased Approach 2020 – 2026
First edition of the Nursing Now Northern Ireland –2020 International Year of The Nurse and The Midwife newsletter highlighting the significant contribution that Nurses and Midwives are making to the health and wellbeing of the people of NI.
Article by Dr Billy Rosa promoting the role of Palliative Care Nurses during COVID-19
- British Journal of Nursing marked International Nurses Day (12 May 2020) with an article by Prof Charlotte McArdle and the other three UK CNOs. View the article
- Nuala McKeever interviewing Prof Charlotte McArdle on 13 May 2020. Hear the audio clip
CNO chats with Nuala McKeever about Florence Nightingale’s pioneering work in infection control and its relevance to modern day nursing.
- Florence Nightingale – Nursing and Midwifery 200 Years digital exhibition in the National Museums of Northern Ireland. View the video
- Nursing Now is facilitating the global sharing of support for the nursing and midwifery communities by launching its Poetry Portal where people can share expressions of thanks, support, share emotions and come together through the medium of art. We are living through extraordinary times and the nursing and midwifery family are facing unprecedented challenges. It is paramount that frontline health workers are encouraged to share their emotions, as well as their experiences as a way to process the often traumatic situations they are faced with on a daily basis. To read poems or share your own, click here
For some inspiration:
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Education Providers COVID-19 Updates
Click on the highlighted links below to go to the Universities/ Education Centre & other resources:
Ulster University Health and Social Care workforce study, Phase 4 of the study ran from November 2021 to February 2022. View the report and executive summary
The Open University
@OUBelfastQueens University Belfast
@QUBSONMUlster University
@UlsterUniNurse
COVID-19 Programmes – CEC
@HSCCEC -
Information for Nursing & Midwifery Students
Click on the highlighted links below to find out more information and to view the documents:
- CNO open letter to all nursing and midwifery students who have made a huge contribution during this pandemic. “Your education is a top priority and the letter addresses NMC emergency standards, placements and my personal thanks to you all”.
- Minister commends nursing students & midwifery students
- Letter from CNO, thanking every student for the valuable contribution they make to the delivery of safe and effective care.
- Document providing supporting information for students regarding returning to their normal studies.
- Chief Nursing Officer’s letter to Universities promoting the new booklet for Final Year Nursing and Midwifery Students
- Booklet for Northern Ireland’s final year nursing and midwifery students in the last six months of their studies
Previous Updates
- OSCE Centres booking.
- Visit Ulster University site to find out more. Listen to this candidate briefing before attending the OSCE centre at it has specific information relevant to the required social distancing.
- NMC student statement – In this statement the NMC explains why there is no longer a need to establish a specific student part of the temporary register for nursing students.
- COVID-19 Deployment guidance for Nursing and Midwifery Students on the final six months of their programme
- COVID-19 Student Supervision & Assessment Roles
- COVID-19 supervision and support students in clinical placement fact sheet
@nipec_online
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General Practice Nursing
Click on the highlighted links below to find out more information and to view the documents:
Clinical Education Centre free access for those working in Primary Care to training programmes delivered by www.cec.hscni.net
Previous Updates
Are you interested in a career in General Practice Nursing – View the Career Pathway
View the General Practice Nurse Course here it is being offered by Ulster University, Jordanstown and commences in September 2021 until May 2022. Hear more about the course from Course Director Evelyn Walton, view video clip
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NMC COVID-19 Updates
Click on the highlighted links below to find out more information and to view the documents:
NMC statement on Covid-19 vaccines
A statement from Andrea Sutcliffe
NMC has published an updated version of its COVID-19 stakeholder information pack. This includes updates on
- The latest COVID-19 temporary register data
- The outcome of the emergency rules consultation
- Reflections on the pandemic one year on
- The NMC’s response to CQC’s report on the use of DNACPR decisions during the pandemic.
- NMC vaccination advice for pregnant women
- NMC Reports & Accounts
- Reflections on a traumatic year
- Visit NMC Covid-19 Hub
- Previous Updates
- Moving from temporary registration to full registration
- NMC announces further expansion of the COVID-19 temporary register
- Caring with Confidence: The Code in action
- Visit Ulster University site to find out more. Listen to this candidate briefing before attending the OSCE centre at it has specific information relevant to the required social distancing.
- Join NMC webinars on post-registration standards review.
- NMC sets out plans to move towards a ‘new normal’
- Letter from Andrea Sutcliffe, NMC Chief Executive & Registrar regarding impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on ethnic minority registrants.
- Sign up for NMC newsletters
- Contact details for NMC
- NMC stands up for nurses providing care for residents in Care Homes
- Andrea Sutcliffe’s Blog: Black Lives Matter
- Frequently asked questions
- NMC student statement – In this statement the NMC explains why there is no longer a need to establish a specific student part of the temporary register for nursing students.
- NMC prescribing statement – In discussion with the four Chief Nursing Officers across the UK the NMC have no current plans to give either individual nurses and midwives, or groups of nurses and midwives, a temporary annotation allowing them to prescribe medicines for the purpose of the Covid-19 emergency.
- NMC joint statement on advance care planning
- Joint statements from UK CNOs expanding the workforces nursing and midwifery
- NMC statement on personal protective equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic
- Blog from Andrea Sutcliffe for Employers
- @nmcnews
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NIPEC Updates
Click on the highlighted links below to find out more information and to view the documents:
- Link Nurse Framework: supporting Nurses in HSC Trusts
- Take a virtual tour through the Ulster museum to view the “200 years of Nursing & Midwifery exhibition” celebrating nursing and midwifery through the ages
- Respiratory Competence Assessment Tools (R-Cat Revised March 2020)
- Delegation Framework for Nursing and Midwifery
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Your Stories & Best Practice
HSC Well Being Study Phase 4
Are you a Nurse or Midwife who is currently employed or self-employed (agency workers), within any area of practice in the UK? Please complete the survey by clicking here which will take you to some further information on the study and a questionnaire which will take 15 minutes to complete. Find out more about the background to the survey here
Download the document
Hear from Liz Moore, Ward Sister on the Covid-19 step down ward at Belfast City Hospital, describing the impact the virus is having on patients of all ages.
Stories from participants on the Global Leadership Development Programme
Hear from Learning Disabilities Nurses in Southern & Western HSC Trusts how they have cared for their clients during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Julie Anne Colvin Southern HSC Trust, Learning Disabilities Health Facilitator Nurse. View video
- Clionagh McElhinney, Western HSC Trust, Acute Liaison Nurse for Learning Disabilities.View video
Evelyn Walton, Lecturer Ulster University & Course Director for the General Practice Nursing Programmes. View video clip – Evelyn provides an update on the new General Practice Nursing Course commencing in September 2020 at Ulster University, Jordanstown Campus.
- Karen Edwards, Nurse Manager, Phoenix Clinic, Newtownards. View Karen’s Story – Karen Edwards tells her story of how she and her staff have continued to care for the residents in Phoenix Clinic during the Corona Virus pandemic.
- “Nursing Northern Ireland and the world to Health & Wellbeing”.View the video
This video was made to celebrate International Nurses day on 12 May 2020.
- Dr Patricia Gillen & Paula McFadden, Ulster University & Southern HSC Trust.View the video – Patricia & Paula want to hear from nurses and midwives and understand more about their quality of working life and coping in relation to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Complete the survey
- District Nursing Team Leader Liz McCormick, South Eastern Trust.View the video – Liz tells her story about helping her nursing colleagues and caring for residents in one of the Nursing Homes in South Eastern Trust. Chief Nursing Officer Charlotte McArdle encourages other Nurses to consider undertaking this opportunity.
- Dr Dale Spence Midwifery Officer DoH, Alana Divito, Midwife, Northern HSC Trust & Annette, mum-to-be. View the video
Advice for mums about maternity services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alana is a participant on the Nightingale Challenge 2020 Global Leadership Development Programme.
- Midwives Mobilising the World to Health and Well-being. View the video
Some of those celebrating the International Day of the Midwife 2020 with Northern Ireland Midwives are, Prof. Charlotte McArdle, Chief Nursing Officer, Dr Dale Spence Midwifery Officer, Health Minister Robin Swann, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General & Fran McConville, Midwife WHO and Ciara Close, Student Midwife.
- Mary Frances McManus, Nursing Officer, Department of Health & Marie Canavan, School Nurse, Belfast Trust. View the video – Advice for staff and pupils in schools in relation to good hygiene, social distancing and what to do if presenting with signs & symptoms of COVID-19.
- Chief Nursing Officer, Charlotte McArdle and Ashleigh Pullins, District Nurse, Northern HSC Trust. View the video – A demonstration from Ashleigh on what patients can expect when being visited by District Nursing services in their own homes. Ashleigh is a participant on the Nightingale Challenge 2020 Global Leadership Development Programme.