National Garden Scheme announces £400k donation to the QNI

On behalf of The Queen’s Nursing Institute and the community nurses we represent, I would like to thank the National Garden Scheme for the wonderful donation of £400,000 announced this week.

The funding that we receive from the garden scheme is essential for us to support nurses and through them patients, families and carers, in homes and communities everywhere. Our thanks to the garden owners, volunteers, and county organisers and staff of the National Garden Scheme who together make this incredibly generous donation possible. We really couldn’t do it without you.

We live a time of rising need in healthcare, and the voluntary sector has an indispensable role to play in improving the delivery of care, especially for those most in need. The funding from the National Garden Scheme supports our national professional network of 2000 Queen’s Nurses who lead and deliver excellent care in all community specialisms, including district nursing, general practice nursing, hospice nursing, care home nursing, children’s nursing, learning disabilities and mental health. Working together, we have a real impact on improving care for people of all ages, including those with the most complex needs.

National Garden Scheme funding has also enabled us to develop a new national programme around gardens and health. The Elsie Wagg (Innovation) Scholarships provide nurses and their colleagues with funding and expertise to create new gardens in healthcare settings, for example hospices and GP surgeries, in areas of land that were previously underused. These areas are now being transformed into beautiful therapeutic spaces to benefit the physical and mental health of groups including young mothers and children, veterans, and care home residents.

I would also like to thank the National Garden Scheme for their support of our leadership programmes. These intensive programmes allow executive nurses to develop their full potential as senior leaders, improving service delivery at a strategic level and ensuring excellent nursing care for individuals in need.

The QNI is currently undertaking research, led by Professor Alison Leary MBE, to determine the number of nurses who work in all community settings in the UK. We estimate this could be half of all registered nurses. The QNI exists to give voice and support to all of these nurses, at all stages of their career. The research is due to be published in 2023.