RCN highlights nurses’ concerns about ‘worst ever’ NHS conditions

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has reported on serious concerns raised by its members over the quality of care NHS nursing staff are currently able to provide.

With the British Red Cross recently comparing the pressures facing the NHS to a humanitarian crisis, UK nurses have told the RCN that current conditions within the health service are the worst they have ever experienced.

One workers at a large trauma centre said patients were waiting more than 12 hours for beds, while other have expressed worry about low morale levels and patients being discharged before they are ready in order to free up beds.

A key problem is chronic understaffing within NHS nursing, with 24,000 nursing posts currently vacant across the country – a number that is only likely to increase, with applications for graduate nursing courses dropping due to the removal of student bursaries and a one percent pay cap on salaries having been introduced.

RCN chief executive and general secretary Janet Davies said: "We are calling on the government to reinstate student funding and get rid of the pay cap. They must attract more people into the profession and invest in nursing across all areas."

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