Your named nurse

Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust is committed to further improving the services it provides, whilst maintaining and re-affirming your rights in keeping with the patients’ charter.

The Patient’s charter (April 1992) states that:

• “you should have a named, qualified nurse, midwife or health visitor who will be responsible for your nursing or midwifery care.” (National charter standard number 8).

This means that you will be allocated a named, qualified person who will be responsible for assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating your individualised needs and requirements, whether you are in hospital or in the community, taking into account your own and relatives’ or carers’ needs.

Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust staff will provide you with an information card which states:

• the name of your nurse
• the hospital or ward or department phone number
• the health centre or department phone number
• the time to contact (if in the community)
• the names of other professionals involved in your care.

Your named nurse will have 24-hour responsibility for your care, but obviously cannot be available for the whole of that period of time.

Therefore, when he or she goes off duty, you will be introduced to a nominated deputy who will maintain the continuity of your care.

Named nurses provide care for other patients as well as their own, but will not have the overall 24-hour responsibilities.

The concept of a named nurse can and does apply in any setting. It is your right to know who is responsible for your care.

If you have any queries, do not hesitate to ask your named nurse or other health care worker involved in your care.

Page last reviewed: December 12, 2024
Next review due: December 12, 2025