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In the closing weeks of her time in office, the Chief Nursing Officer for England, Dame Yvonne Moores, gave an `end of term' interview to Nursing Management editor,Tom Keighley.
TK Dame Yvonne, can I start by asking if being the CNO for England has been the job that you thought it was going to be?
YM Yes it has, and actually much more. I had some idea of what I was going to be faced with and the opportunities that the job might offer having been in Wales and then the Scottish Office. It's been all of that and much more. It's given me enormous opportunities to both build teams around me and to work with other colleagues. I'm thinking particularly of the chief executives, Sir Duncan Nichol and latterly Sir Alan Langlands. It has provided the opportunity to experience the top corporate management of the NHS as well as supporting ministers, being at the centre of government. It's the experience of being at the centre of government which fills you with adrenaline as you have to run with what you're faced with. That's been a marvellous experience.
TK You have worked with politicians of all colours, and in a previous interview with Nursing Management you described the process of government change after an election. How have you had to change the way you work to respond to their different interests?
YM Things do change as administrations and particularly, as you've intimated, the political party changes. From the CNO's position, it is the individual politicians that impact most on the way you work. The way they operate, what they are wanting from you and their style, is probably the more important thing. Of course the policies are different, but the way individual secretaries of state work is the critical thing. Latterly, I have to say, it is the Prime Minister because he has a huge amount of interest in and links with, the Department of Health and works closely with us. This culminated in his launching Making a Difference - Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Strategy. It is the individuals I feel that have given me most food for thought in terms of how best to serve them through handling the issues raised, developing...