{{Short description|British global health leader and writer (born 1953)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Jane Salvage | image = File:Jane Salvage.png | birth_date = 6 August 1953 | birth_place = Brighton, Sussex, United Kingdom | occupation = {{hlist|Nurse|Teacher|Writer}} | alma_mater = {{hlist|Newnham College, Cambridge}} | years_active = 1974 – present }}
'''Jane Salvage''' (born 6 August 1953 in Brighton, Sussex) is a British nursing and midwifery policy activist, teacher, and writer. She has been described as "a hugely influential nurse leader who has contributed to advancing nursing in a wide number of roles throughout her career".<ref>{{cite book|title=Citation for honorary doctorate of science (Hon DSc), Kingston University and St George's, University of London, 2011}}</ref>
Her first book, '''''The Politics of Nursing''''', called for widespread reform and greater recognition of the profession and of women carers. She worked as a nurse, then a nursing journalist, and established a career in global health, leading programmes in nursing and midwifery in Europe and worldwide for the World Health Organization (WHO), International Council of Nurses and others. Throughout her career, she has highlighted the politics of health, including related issues including nurses and midwives' low pay, poor treatment and working conditions, and lack of status.
Her latest book, '''''The Midwives' Gospel: the forgotten women at the birth of Jesus''''' (2025) blends compelling storytelling, art history and political analysis. It highlights the historical importance of midwives and current concerns about the downgrading of their role.
==Early life and education== Jane Salvage was born in Brighton, Sussex, England. After winning a scholarship to Brighton and Hove High School for Girls, she studied English, French, and Italian Literature at Newnham College, Cambridge, where she was President of the Junior Common Room and the first student to serve on Newnham College's governing body. She later became a Newnham Associate and then Honorary Associate.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newnhamassociates.org/home/www2018/3/1/jane-salvage?rq=salvage|title=Newnham Associates|work=Newnham Associates - Newnham College, Cambridge}}{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
The sudden death of her brother Guy in 1974 influenced her decision to enter nursing after graduating from Cambridge. She trained at the Princess Alexandra School of Nursing, based at the London Hospital, Whitechapel. After qualification as a registered general nurse she worked there as a staff nurse.
==Career== Salvage became active in the Royal College of Nursing and local politics in the East End of London in the late 1970s. In 1978 funding cuts to the National Health Service (NHS) threatened to close Bethnal Green Hospital, and she campaigned and wrote about it.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Salvage |first1=J |last2=Boomla |first2=K |year=1979 |title=The NHS in East London: What Lies Ahead? |publisher=Keep Bethnal Green Hospital Campaign |location=London|ol=9234084W}}</ref> She was also active in the Anti-Nazi League and Rock Against Racism.
===Scholarship and writing=== After her 1978 article in ''Nursing Mirror'' about cuts to the National Health Service and the poor treatment of nurses,<ref>{{Cite journal| author=Salvage, J.|date=June 29, 1978|title=Democracy stifled in the NHS|journal=Nursing Mirror|volume=146|issue=26|pages=8–9|pmid=248767}}</ref> Salvage was invited to write a monthly "Student's View" column.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Salvage, J.|date=October 12, 1978|title=Digging the grave of good nursing|journal=Nursing Mirror|page=12}}</ref> She later joined the staff of ''Nursing Mirror'' full time and won the Trainee of the Year award, completing the International Publishing Corporation Business Press proficiency training.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Allen M|title=Profile: Jane Salvage, Senior Nurse|pages=8–10|journal=IPC News|date= February 1981}}</ref> In 1981 she moved to the rival weekly magazine ''Nursing Times'' as news and features editor. In 1984, she became the launch editor of ''Senior Nurse'' (1984 – 1987), then special projects editor on ''Nursing Standard''.<ref name="nursingtimes">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nursingtimes.net/archive/jane-salvage-empowered-nurses-in-the-uk-and-internationally-01-03-2010/|title=Jane Salvage Empowered Nurses in the UK and Internationally|date=March 2010 }}</ref>
While working on these magazines, Salvage published and spoke at conferences on issues related to nurses' low pay, poor working conditions, and lack of status, and also raised awareness of the broader politics of health.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kingston.ac.uk/news/article/367/01-jun-2011-honorary-doctorate-for-nursing-expert-jane-salvage/|title=Honorary Doctorate for Nursing Expert Jane Salvage}}</ref> She was an active member of the Radical Nurses Group, which contributed to her first book, ''The Politics of Nursing'' (Heinemann 1985). She promoted feminist views of nursing and highlighted the need for intersectionality in healthcare. In 1988 Andrew Cole described her as "the radical voice of nursing".<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Cole, A.|date=July 20, 1988|title=The nurses' advocate|journal=Nursing Times}}</ref>
The success of ''The Politics of Nursing'' stimulated and reflected nurses' growing recognition of the need to be more assertive.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Rice, T.|date=June 4, 1988|title=Radical intervention|journal=Nursing Standard|page=32}}</ref> Neil Kinnock, the then leader of the Labour Party, helped launch the book, commending her for bringing the ideas of the modern women's movement to nursing.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Kinnock, N.|title=Out of the shell?|journal=Medicine in Society}}</ref>
In 1988, she obtained a MSc in sociology with special reference to medicine from Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, University of London. Her dissertation focused on the movement known as 'the New Nursing', which promoted patient-centred care and modernization of the profession.<ref name="newnursing">{{Cite journal|author=Salvage, J.|author2=Robinson J, Gray.|author3=Elkan, A.|title=The New Nursing: empowering patients or empowering nurses?|journal=Open University Press|location=Milton Keynes|volume=Policy issues in nursing}}</ref>
Her next book, ''Nurses at Risk'' (Heinemann 1988), was co-authored with Rosemary Rogers and updated in 1999 with Roger Cowell. It focused on nurses' health and safety at work, and was described as 'a courageous ground-breaker' in her citation for an honorary doctorate from the University of Sheffield in 1996. In 1997, while editor-in-chief of ''Nursing Times'', she was the British Society of Magazine Editors runner-up Editor of the Year.<ref name="nursingtimes" /> In 1999, she was the Periodical Publishers Association Columnist of the Year for her weekly column in ''Nursing Times''.<ref>{{Cite news |work=Emap News|date=June 1999|page=5}}</ref> In 1998, she was a speaker in the 50th Anniversary Lecture Series marking the foundation of the NHS.
Between 2010 and 2012, she edited ''NMC Review'' for the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nursingtimes.net/roles/nurse-managers/nmc-to-engage-nurses-and-midwives-with-new-magazine|title=NMC to Engage Nurses and Midwives With New Magazine|date=2 March 2011}}{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> From 2013 to 2025, she was Writer in Residence and Visiting Professor at Kingston University and St George's, University of London.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kingston.ac.uk/news/article/1161/29-oct-2013-worldrenowned-health-and-education-researchers-join-kingston-university-and-st-georges-university-of-london/|title=World Renowned Health and Education Researchers Join Kingston and St.George's, University of London}}</ref>
===Health and nursing leadership=== From 1988 to 1991, Salvage was founding director of the Nursing Developments Programme at the King's Fund. It supported Nursing Development Units in hospitals and community services to promote research-based, patient-centred care and advocate greater nursing autonomy. She obtained government funding to encourage the foundation of more NDUs.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Salvage, J.|author2=Wright, S.|year=1995|title=Nursing Development Units: a force for change|journal=Scutari Press (1-873853-25-4)|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|author=Jardine, C.|date=July 25, 1989|title=Helping patients to help themselves|work=Daily Telegraph}}</ref>
From 1991 to 1995, she was Regional Adviser for Nursing and Midwifery at the WHO European regional office, based in Copenhagen.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Turner, T.|date=April 3, 1991|title=European vision|journal=Nursing Times|volume=87|number=14|page=22}}</ref> She focused particularly on improving nursing and midwifery in central and eastern Europe and the new WHO member states of the former USSR.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Salvage J.|author2=Heijnen S.|title=Nursing in Europe:A Resource for Better Health|journal=WHO Regional Publications|volume=74|date=1997|url=https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/156930/euro_series_74.pdf}}</ref> Her team also produced the first evidence-based comparative study of nursing and midwifery in Europe.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Salvage J| author2=Heijnen S|date=1997|title=Nursing in Europe:A Resource for Better Health|journal=Nursing in Europe, WHO Regional Publications, European Series|volume=74|url=http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/156930/euro_series_74.pdf}}</ref> In 2004, she served as interim chief scientist for nursing at WHO headquarters in Geneva. She continued to undertake consultancy work for WHO, the European Union and others, including a project to improve the quality of nursing and midwifery in post-conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Salvage J|author2= White J|date=23 May 2019|title=Nursing leadership and health policy: everybody's business|journal=International Nursing Review|volume= 66|issue= 2|pages= 147–150|doi= 10.1111/inr.12523|pmid= 31124127|s2cid= 163167353|doi-access= free}}</ref> She also worked with the British non-governmental organization Medact, co-authoring and editing three reports on the health and environmental costs of the Iraq War .<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Collateral Damage: the health and environmental costs of war on Iraq|journal=Medact |location= London| date=2002|url=https://www.medact.org/resources/reports/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|title=Continuing Collateral Damage: the health and environmental costs of war on Iraq|journal=Medact |location=London |date= 2003|url=https://www.medact.org/resources/reports/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|title=The enduring effects of war: health in Iraq|journal=Medact |location=London |date= 2004|url=https://www.medact.org/resources/reports/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|title=Rehabilitation Under Fire: health care in Iraq 2003-7| journal=Medact| location=London |date=2008|url=https://www.medact.org/resources/reports/}}</ref>
In 2009 - 2010, she worked full-time in the Department of Health, England, in the secretariat of the Prime Minister's Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery. Launched by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and chaired by MP and nurse Ann Keen, its recommendations were published in ''Front Line Care'', 2010.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Keen |first=Ann |title=Front Line Care by the Prime Minister's Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery in England |date=2010 |publisher=Prime Minister's Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery in England (crown copyright) |isbn=9780956513809}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2010-0551/DEP2010-0551.pdf|title=Front Line Care, report by the Prime Minister's Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery in England}}</ref> She then worked in the secretariat of the Commission on Nursing Education, based at the Royal College of Nursing and chaired by Lord (Phil) Willis. Its 2012 report, ''Quality with Compassion: the future of nursing education'', underlined the importance of moving to an all-graduate nursing profession.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.macmillan.org.uk/documents/newsletter/willis-commission-report-macmail-dec2012.pdf|title=Quality with Compassion: the future of nursing education}}</ref>
As policy advisor to the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health, she worked closely with its chair, Lord (Nigel) Crisp, on a review of global nursing. Its report, ''Triple Impact'', urged policy-makers worldwide to see nursing in a different light, and offered solutions and development opportunities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globalhealth.inparliament.uk/news/triple-impact-how-investing-nursing-will-improve-health-improve-gender-equality-and-support|title=Triple Impact - How investing in nursing will improve health, improve gender equality and support economic growth}}</ref> ''Triple Impact'' was the springboard for the global Nursing Now campaign, which led to the declaration of 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nursingnow.org/who-we-are/|title=Who we are|work=Nursing Now|archive-date=24 May 2021|access-date=3 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524142441/https://www.nursingnow.org/who-we-are/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Salvage wrote and spoke about the campaign worldwide.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Salvage, J.|author2=Stilwell, B.|date=2018|title=Breaking the silence: a new story of nursing|journal=Journal of Clinical Nursing | issue=7–8|volume=27|pages=1295–1721|doi=10.1111/jocn.14306|pmid=29430758|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|author=Holloway A|author2=Thomson A|author3=Stilwell B|author4=Finch H|author5=Irwin K|author6=Crisp N|date=2021|title= Agents of Change: the story of the Nursing Now campaign|journal=Nursing Now/Burdett Trust for Nursing|url=https://www.nursingnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Nursing-Now-Final-Report.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/2020-international-year-of-the-nurse-and-midwife/new-tartan-created-in-scotland-to-celebrate-nursing-kinship-10-02-2020/|title=New tartan launched in Scotland to celebrate nursing 'kinship'|date=10 February 2020 }}</ref>
From 2016 to 2021 she was director of the International Council of Nurses' Global Nursing Leadership Institute, an annual programme helping senior nurse leaders from round the world to improve their strategic policy competencies.<ref>{{Cite journal|pmid=31721200|doi=10.1111/inr.12567|title=Being effective at the top table: Developing nurses' policy leadership competencies|year=2019|last1=Salvage|first1=Jane|last2=Montayre|first2=Jed|last3=Gunn|first3=Michelle|journal=International Nursing Review|volume=66|issue=4|pages=449–452|s2cid=207963537|doi-access=free}}</ref> In 2021 she directed a midwifery leadership programme commissioned by the Government of India to advance its Midwifery Initiative, in partnership with the WHO Country Office for India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.who.int/india/news/detail/08-07-2021-meet-the-first-batch-of-midwifery-leadership-graduates|title=Meet the first batch of midwifery leadership graduates}}</ref> This led to her consultancy with WHO Headquarters to create a model midwifery leadership programme for global use.
==Awards and recognition== In 2008, ''Nursing Times'' named her the sixth most influential nurse of the last 60 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nursingtimes.net/archive/nursing-champions-the-nt-diamond-20-08-12-2008/?storycode=1943974%20ttps://www.nursingtimes.net/archive/nursing-champions-the-nt-diamond-20-08-12-2008/?storycode=1943974|title=Nursing Champions – The NT Diamond 20|date=8 December 2008 }}</ref> In 2018, as part of the 70th anniversary of the NHS, the NHS identified her as one of the 70 most influential UK nurses and midwives of the past 70 years.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Ely |first1=John |url=https://rcni.com/nursing-standard/newsroom/news/70-of-best-nhs-celebrates-its-most-influential-nurses-135986|title=70 of the best: NHS celebrates its most influential nurses|date=3 July 2018 }}</ref> In 2012, she was appointed Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing.<ref>{{cite book|title=Citation for Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing, 'in recognition of an exceptional contribution to the advancement of the science and art of nursing', 2012}}</ref> In 2019, she was elected Fellow of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.icn.ch/news/ahead-year-nurse-2020-world-renowned-medical-institution-recognises-contribution-outstanding|title=Ahead of Year of the Nurse 2020, world renowned medical institution recognises contribution of outstanding nurse leaders}}</ref> She has honorary doctorates from the University of Sheffield (1996), Kingston University and St George's, University of London (2011), and Middlesex University (2016). She is also a fellow of the Queen's Nursing Institute (now the Queen's Institute of Community Nursing).
==Select bibliography== * '''1985''' ''The Politics of Nursing''. London: Butterworth-Heinemann; {{ISBN|9780433290100}} * '''1986''' ''Models for Nursing'' (edited Betty Kershaw & Jane Salvage). John Wiley and Sons; {{ISBN|9780471909910}}. * '''1988''' ''Nurses at Risk: A Guide to Health and Safety at Work'' (with Rosemary Rogers). London: Butterworth-Heinemann; {{ISBN|9780433000372}} * '''1990''' ''Models for Nursing 2'' (edited Jane Salvage & Betty Kershaw). London: Scutari Press. {{ISBN|9781871364262}} * '''1991''' ''Nurse Practitioners: Working for Change''. London: King's Fund; {{ISBN|9780903060967}} * '''1993''' ''Nursing in Action: Strengthening Nursing and Midwifery to Support Health for All''. Copenhagen: World Health Organization. ISBN 9289013125 * '''1997''' ''Nursing in Europe: A Resource for Better Health'' Copenhagen: World Health Organization; {{ISBN|9789289013383}} * '''1999''' ''Nurses at Risk: A Guide to Health and Safety at Work'' (second edition), with Rosemary Rogers and Roger Cowell. Basingstoke: Macmillan Press; ISBN 0-333-73185-9 * '''2011''' ''Skyros: Island of Dreams''. Skyros Foundation; {{ISBN|9780956901903}}
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Salvage, Jane}} Category:British nursing administrators Category:Nursing educators Category:Nursing researchers Category:Alumni of Newnham College, Cambridge Category:Living people Category:1953 births Category:Fellows of the Royal College of Nursing Category:British nurses Category:British women non-fiction writers Category:People from Brighton