NORTHERN Ireland's most senior nurse has resigned from her job at the Department of Health in a move that has sparked "significant concern" among trade unions.
Chief Nursing Officer Charlotte McArdle is leaving her high-profile role as Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) to take up a senior deputy CNO post for NHS England.
The shock departure comes at a time of unprecedented pressures in the profession due to severe workforce shortages and an ongoing pay dispute.
Ms McArdle, who is originally from Dublin, has held the top position since 2013 and overseen one of the most turbulent periods for nursing which culminated in historic strike action in the months before the pandemic.
In a statement issued today, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) revealed they have directly raised concerns with health minister Robin Swann about the impact of Ms McArdle's resignation at such a critical point in the Covid-19 crisis.
The unions have also formally written to the department's Permanent Secretary, Richard Pengelly about the issue and spoken with Stormont health committee chair Colm Gildernew.
A RCN spokesman confirmed they have "jointly expressed their significant concerns regarding the resignation of the Chief Nursing Officer".
He added: "To lose such an experienced nursing leader when our health and social care services are under unprecedented pressure from a worldwide pandemic will cause significant instability to the nursing and midwifery professions in Northern Ireland. We are in urgent need of strong nursing and midwifery leadership to deliver the service transformation required to develop high quality health services for our population."
Mr Swann today thanked the CNO for her "leadership and dedicated service", wishing her well in her new job in which she will be responsible for patient safety and improvement.
"Charlotte has been a very strong advocate for nursing and midwifery - and not least for investment in our nursing workforce. She leaves her Northern Ireland role with nursing and midwifery university places at their highest ever level and a clear plan to stabilise the workforce through the Nursing and Midwifery task group report," he added.
There are more than 2,000 unfilled nursing jobs in the north while a decision on a pay increase remains in limbo.
'Safe staffing' legislation - which was pledged by Mr Swann and helped bring an end to the strike - will not be introduced during the current Assembly mandate, it emerged earlier this year.
Stormont health committee chair Colm Gildernew said the vacuum left by the CNO's departure during a fourth Covid wave was "troubling".
"Just last week the Chief Nursing Officer appeared before the health committee to discuss the wide range of challenges facing nurses and the wider health service. She did not paint an optimistic picture," he said.
“As of the end of March 2021, there was a vacancy rate of 9.7% for registered nurses and midwives, which amounts to over 2,350 nursing related vacancies across the north.
“I am concerned that this could see safe staffing legislation delayed even further and not delivered within this mandate. Addressing workforce shortages and pressures on Health and Social Care staff must be the priority for the minister and the department.
"While there are many questions around this resignation, I want to wish the outgoing CNO all the best in her new role."
SDLP spokesperson Cara Hunter also praised Ms McArdle's leadership and called for a recruitment process to find a replacement to take place as soon as possible.
