Both the Rt Hon David Cameron MP, Leader of HM Official Opposition and Lord Philip Hunt of King’s Heath, the newly appointed Minister of State for Quality, Department of Health addressed leaders and key practitioners within the nursing and health environs at the Future of Nursing Conference. Britain’s nursing organisations including the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Royal College of Nursing, and the Council of Deans alongside the National Audit Office, NHS Employers and the Association for Directors of Social Services discussed: the impact of cut backs on temporary nursing staff and a possible future shortfall in nurses; how to meet government targets for providing more treatment in the community and reducing unnecessary admissions; while ensuring a well educated and developed nursing workforce who are supported to cope with rapidly diversifying roles. Following the Conservative announcement of party plans to scrap health service targets in favour of a new focus on health outcomes, to give doctors responsibility for their own budgets and to decide where patients are treated, the nurses were keen to hear where they fit into future conservative health policy.