Thank you to our nursing colleagues in Scotland 06 May 2025 To our nursing colleagues in Scotland, On this National Nurses Day, and during Stroke Awareness Month, we want to take a moment to celebrate and appreciate the vital role nurses play, especially in the care and recovery of a life changing health event or diagnosis of a long-term health condition. Nurses are often the first point of contact, providing critical care, reassurance, advocacy and compassionate support for people and their families during some of the darkest, most frightening moments of their lives. We know that nurses offer more than medical expertise; you bring warmth, kindness, and unwavering commitment to person-centred care, whether in hospitals or the community. Your emotional support is as essential as your clinical skills, helping individuals navigate recovery, regain independence, and live life to the fullest. A mission we share at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, through our vision of No Life Half Lived in Scotland. Coincidentally, National Nurses Day falls during Stroke Awareness Month – a powerful reminder that following a stroke, and across all the conditions we support, nurses are a true lifeline. Today and every day, we also celebrate the vital work of our stroke nurses, whose specialist knowledge and guidance make an immeasurable difference to stroke survivors every single day. From raising awareness through the FAST campaign to navigating the complex journey of stroke recovery, your expertise and reassurance guide patients and their loved ones through uncertain times. We also recognise the incredible work that heart and respiratory nurses deliver in hospitals and communities across Scotland to the people we support who are struggling with the impact of a heart attack or diagnosis of a life-changing chest or heart condition such as COPD, asthma, coronary heart disease or heart failure. Supporting people to come to terms with what has happened to them and finding ways to manage their condition is crucial for people who don’t know where to and working in partnership with nurses to provide pathways of support for them is something we are committed to. At Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, we are privileged to have nurses within our own teams as well as working alongside so many NHS nursing colleagues supporting the 1 in 5 people in Scotland affected by chest, heart and stroke conditions and Long Covid. Every day, we see first-hand the profound impact your knowledge, compassion, and professionalism have on the lives of individuals and their loved ones. Your role is vital – not only in treatment and recovery, but in restoring confidence and hope. We know that nurses are often the people who first recommend our services so we can be there for the people in Scotland who need us most. Thank you for believing that we can be there for the people you care for too. On behalf of everyone at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, we extend our deepest gratitude to nurses everywhere. Your dedication transforms lives, and today, and every day, we celebrate your contribution to healthcare in Scotland. Thank you for the difference you make. With heartfelt thanks, Jane-Claire Judson Chief Executive Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland If you or someone you know is living with the effects of a chest, heart or stroke condition or Long Covid and looking for advice and information, please contact Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Advice Line on 0808 801 0899. You can also text ADVICE to 66777 or email adviceline@chss.org.uk.