RCN: funding cuts may be exacerbating impact of public health challenges

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has raised concerns that the public health challenges facing the UK are being exacerbated by aggressive funding cuts.

A survey of more than 10,000 nurses and healthcare assistants has revealed that half believe the proportion of their patients who need care for preventable conditions has increased over the course of their career.

Nearly 40 percent have seen patients' health affected by malnutrition or food poverty, 41 percent have dealt with the health impact of inadequate or unsafe housing, and 21 percent have treated people suffering due to a lack of heating.

The RCN has expressed concerns that these trends are occurring at a time when funding is being cut and preventative work reduced, creating a widening divide between the healthiest and least healthy members of society.

Nurses voiced worries that financial constraints are making the elderly more socially isolated, while harming the chances of substance addicts and the homeless to get rehabilitated.

RCN chief executive and general secretary Janet Davies said: "The major worry is that efforts to tackle the issues and to help people live healthier lives are in danger of going backwards because of aggressive public health funding cuts."