New NICE guidance issued on safe staffing levels for emergency departments

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued draft guidance advising accident and emergency departments on safe staffing levels.

Designed to help hospitals best meet demand for emergency care, the recommendations set out responsibilities for senior nurses and hospital managers, and actions organisations can take, to ensure there are enough nurses and other staff to provide safe care at all times.

This includes making sure that the department has the capacity to provide all necessary emergency care, as well as specialist input for children, older people or those with mental health needs.

It also includes suggestions for minimum ratios that can be considered by organisations when planning what nursing staff they need to fund in advance. For example, two registered nurses should be on hand per individual patient in cases of major trauma or cardiac arrest, or one registered nurse per four cubicles in either the majors or minors departments.

Professor Mark Baker, director of clinical practice at NICE, said: "Ensuring there are enough available nursing staff, with the right skills, helps to make sure people in need of immediate medical help will get safe care, whatever the time of day or night."

These guidelines will help to ensure hospitals have the right staffing levels available even as accident and emergency patient numbers increase.