Dr David Foster is the Head of the Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Policy Unit. He has over 35 years’ experience as a registered midwife and nurse. With extensive experience in adult intensive care nursing, he has held a range of clinical, management and professional leadership roles including the Director of Nursing at Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust. David is a visiting professor at Buckinghamshire New University and King’s College London.
He leads the unit and advises ministers and senior officials on a range of nursing, midwifery and allied health professional issues. David’s responsibilities include providing nursing and midwifery leadership across health and social care on behalf of the Department, providing advice on nursing and midwifery practice in the NHS, the independent sector and care sector, maintaining relationships with the professional bodies, arms-length bodies, unions and other stakeholders. David is the Department’s professional link on regulation, education, workforce, and international nursing and midwifery issues.
Welcome to the first blog of the Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Policy Unit at the Department of Health. I’m going to tell you what we do and who we are.
At a recent leadership event I was asked to give some tips and thoughts on leadership. I am no guru, but these are some thoughts that come from my experience of being a nurse and midwife for over 30 years.