Specialist hospital joins nursing excellence scheme in UK first
A specialist hospital in London has become the first non-NHS site in the UK to receive a prestigious international designation of nursing excellence.
The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability (RHN), Putney, announced last week that it had been given Pathway to Excellence accreditation.
“As a national centre of excellence for neuro-disability, the RHN is an environment where staff feel supported and empowered”
Paul Allen
Set up by the American Nurses Credentialing Centre (ANCC), Pathway to Excellence is given to a hospital which meets six “essential” standards deemed key to good working environments for nurses.
These standards relate to shared decision-making, leadership, quality, safety, wellbeing and professional development.
Hospitals seeking the designation must pass an assessment period in which the criteria are checked, and a final confidential survey of its nursing staff.
RHN, which is charity funded and specialises in care for adults with brain injuries, has become the first independent hospital in the UK to achieve Pathway to Excellence accreditation.
Hospital chief executive Paul Allen said the award was a “testament to the dedication and hard work” of his workforce.
He thanked director of nursing and quality Della Warren, and director of pathway Justin Finbow, for their work on achieving the designation.
Mr Allen said: “I am also grateful to all our staff, especially our nursing team, whose dedication to caring for our patients and residents is at the heart of everything we do.”
He added: “As a national centre of excellence for neuro-disability, the RHN is an environment where staff feel supported and empowered and to have this recognised internationally is very rewarding for everyone.”
RHN joins several other hospitals across the country on Pathway to Excellence, including Charing Cross Hospital, which received the designation in July.
Northampton General Hospital became the first in the country to join the scheme in 2016, and a push by former chief nursing officer for England Dame Ruth May in 2019 saw others begin working towards it in earnest.
