RCN survey demonstrates public recognition of need for more nurses

The general public is supportive of the nursing sector's calls for greater recruitment and investment, according to a new survey from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

Results from the Ipsos Mori poll indicated that 88 per cent of the British adults agreed that many more nurses are needed in hospitals to deliver safe care, with only 19 percent agreeing frontline nurses are paid a fair wage.

Meanwhile, only 27 percent think the nursing profession is portrayed fairly by the media, with 83 percent feeling that nurses are entitled to speak up in the general election campaign about their beliefs.

The RCN has been vocal in its calls for all political parties involved in the election to prioritise a long-term strategy to train, recruit and retain enough nurses to meet the growing demands facing the NHS. 

Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of the RCN, said: "Voters are astute in their understanding of how health services work, and how much they rely on having the right number of staff to operate safely."