Highly Commended
Here for Life – Championing the Value of Nurses and Midwives
Summary of work
In 2020 we clapped for nurses and midwives. They have always been hugely admired, but the pandemic amplified how important they are to us. Despite this, two years on, there were gaps in public knowledge about the breadth, diversity and expertise involved in these professions.
Here for Life set about to change that. In partnership with all five Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) of the UK and Ireland and supported by Salt and Mearns & Pike, the RCN Foundation charity told the stories of seven nurses and midwives and inspired others to tell their own.
For the first time, the CNOs were united behind a single campaign to mark International Nurses Day, and the results show what an effective strategy this was. Thousands of nurses and midwives supported the campaign, and crucially, public awareness of the diversity of nursing and midwifery roles increased as a result.
In 2023, the media spotlight has shifted onto more contentious subjects like pay, conditions and industrial action. Here for Life has left a legacy that reinforces the true value of the professions, beyond the caring and compassionate individuals that we all know nurses and midwives to be, safeguarding them for the future.
Judges’ comments
This is absolutely the right time to be celebrating the outstanding work taking place by nurses and midwives and Mearns & Pike, Salt and The RCN Foundation utilised this moment exceptionally well. The judges liked the diverse range of voices within the campaign and the “beyond England” approach. The whole campaign was impressive, effective, with strong metrics and evaluation.
