Professor Deborah Sturdy is to become the new chief nurse for adult social care, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced.
The role has been created to represent social care nurses and provide clinical leadership to the workforce.
I’m delighted to welcome Deborah Sturdy as our first Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care,’ said Minister for Care Helen Whately
‘This is a really important new role supporting, leading and speaking up for social care and our fantastic care workers.’
Professor Sturdy has had a long career in nursing, including working with older people and people living with dementia. Since February 2020, she has worked on secondment for one day a week to the Chief Nursing Officer as strategic adviser for social care nursing.
She has also provided nursing advice to the Gosport Independent Panel, set up to address concerns about the care of residents in Gosport War Memorial Hospital. Before this, Professor Sturdy was employed as professional nursing adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care from 2000-2011.
‘I am honoured to have been asked to help define a new narrative for social care nursing and support colleagues to find their voice, and contribute to the development of the workforce in the coming months and work together to deliver the best care possible,’ said Professor Sturdy.
‘The social care nursing and care workforce together are a powerful force to help shape and deliver the health and social care agenda. I hope that in this role I will be able to give a voice to those working in social care and develop the workforce, through the difficult months ahead and beyond.’