Actress vows to champion nurses in new role
GAME Of Thrones star Emilia Clarke has vowed to champion nurses and their work as she was announced as the ambassador for the Royal College of Nursing.
The actress, best known as Daenerys Targaryen in the hit fantasy drama, said the healthcare professionals are not getting the support they need and pledged to campaign for greater investment in nursing.
She said: “The vast majority of healthcare in our lifetime will come from nurses. Nevertheless, they too often fall victim to outdated ideas that leave fantastic nurses overlooked, under-appreciated and underpaid.
“Nurses are performing operations and running doctors’ surgeries. Our NHS simply could not function without them.
“But, today’s nurses feel an easy target for cuts. Despite working round the clock, too many are forced to seek hardship support.
“It is sadly little surprise that their number is beginning to dwindle.
“And young people who have the drive and commitment are being put off by the new fees they must now pay to train.”
She will join frontline nurses and health care workers to tackle the issues affecting the profession, including a falling number in training and shortages in the current workforce, and will raise funds to support professionals through the RCN Foundation charity, which makes grants to nurses in training or hardship.