Health Minister praises nurses for their contribution to Northern Ireland’s health service

Northern Ireland’s health minister has praised nurses for their contribution to the health service.

Robin Swann was speaking at the Nurse of the Year 2022 Awards at the Culloden Hotel in Belfast on Thursday evening, hosted by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

He paid tribute to their work despite the unprecedented pressures during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Many times I have shared my gratitude for the contribution you have made to Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care system, particularly over the past two years in which services have had to be continually adapted in response to Covid-19, and you have all made a tremendous effort to do your job in exceptional circumstances,” he said.

“And despite the unprecedented pressures that you have faced in our fight against the virus, you have overcome these challenges and delivered some truly remarkable achievements. It is for this reason that events such as tonight are so important.

“As nurses, you are in a privileged position of making a difference to individuals and families’ lives every minute of every day, and tonight I am privileged to hear some examples.”

Chief nursing officer Maria McIlgorm said: “As nurses and midwives you have shown such resilience and have continued to demonstrate this even more so during the past two years of the pandemic.

“Your commitment to care has been outstanding any makes me very proud of you and our profession.

“Nursing remains the backbone of health and social care delivery and tonight reminds us all that across all age groups, nurses are champions of human experience and are crucial in leading improvements in the well-being of population by making a difference to the people of Northern Ireland, and our health service would simply not be able to function without you.”