INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY

That this House joins the rest of the UK in celebrating International Nurses Day on 12 May which is also the birthday of the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale; recognises the vital role the nursing workforce plays in maintaining the health of the nation and the dedication and commitment they show in providing patient care in a wide variety of settings in which they work in the NHS, private sector and elsewhere; acknowledges the expertise, compassion and professionalism nurses display in treating patients of all ages from neonatal care to end-of-life provision; praises the wide range of specialist settings where nurses work as practitioners at the forefront of modernising the healthcare system and the role nurses play in the leadership and innovation of the NHS; and gives thanks to those nurses serving in the armed forces and recognises the essential role they play both in the UK and areas of conflict abroad.