RCN: Nurse shortages impact upon patient care

At least once every week, four in ten nurses in the UK feel that patient care is being jeopardised by staff shortages, according to a survey conducted by the Royal College of Nurses (RCN).

The poll discovered that 55 per cent of the 9,000 respondents said that their busy schedules stop them from providing the care they would like to give.

A further 61 per cent said that their workload is too heavy.

Head of the RCN Dr Peter Carter stated: “Nurses and healthcare assistants feel [?] worn down and exhausted by the pressure to make efficiencies and frustrated by being prevented from delivering the quality of care they want to be providing.”

The RCN has now submitted papers to the country’s political parties recommending that healthcare staff numbers remain at levels safe for the care of patients.

These survey results come after the latest annual report from the Care Quality Commission concluded that the Great Western Ambulance Service has been performing under-par when it comes to cleanliness, waiting times and patient safety.