News
If you have a news story call the news desk on +44 (0)20 8872 3144 or email [email protected]
Nurses say patients still neglected because of inadequate staff levels Patient care is being neglected because nurses do not have enough time with patients, a UK-wide survey by Unison has revealed. In the poll of almost 3,000 nurses, carried out on March 4 to capture a typical day in the NHS (see box), 65 per cent said they do not have enough time because of understaffing. Fifty four per cent warned care was being left undone, despite many working unpaid overtime and through their breaks. This is despite nurse recruitment drives across the UK following Robert Francis QC’s report into Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, which linked poor care to chronic understaffing. Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said that the ‘Francis effect’ has resulted in an extra 2,400 nurses being hired in the past year. Yet 45 per cent of survey respondents said they were caring for eight or more patients on ward settings, rising to 51 per cent for night staff. Unison has called for legally enforceable nurse-topatient ratios of one nurse to every four or six patients for optimal care. Unison head of nursing Gail Adams said despite
A day in the life 88% regularly have bank or agency staff on their shift
59%
felt there was not enough staff to deliver safe, dignified and compassionate care
58%
worked overtime and through their breaks
51%
did not feel confident enough to raise concerns locally
48%
said their workplace was at risk of a Mid Staffs-style situation, or that it is already happening in some parts of their organisation
45%
worked up to an hour unpaid after their shift ended
24%
said staffing levels were not displayed on wards
10%
clocked up to two hours in unpaid overtime on that day
Source: Unison Running on Empty survey
staffing being a key issue in reports by Francis and NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh, nurses remain under ‘unsustainable pressure’. She explained: ‘Harm occurs when staffing levels are not right, resulting in falls, pressure ulcers and repeat admissions. Errors
cost the NHS money, so a legally enforceable nurse-to-patient staffing ratio makes sense not only economically, but for morale reasons. ‘Nurses stay late or turn up to work when ill because they know the pressure their colleagues are under and that care could suffer.’ The government has rejected calls for national mandatory staffing ratios, saying they should be set locally by employers. By the end of June, all trusts in England will have to display staffing details for each shift, present monthly staffing reports to their board and publish staffing data online. The Safe Staffing Alliance – a group of senior nurses brought together by Nursing Standard – believes that care becomes unsafe on wards when staffing levels fall below a ratio of one nurse to eight patients. Alliance chair Susan Osborne said healthcare organisations are sitting on a ‘nursing timebomb’. She added: ‘Hearing how shortstaffed and under pressure nurses are, as well as negative media coverage, sends the message that nursing is an unattractive career prospect. Why would you want to go into nursing if you do not have enough time to care for your patients?’
Mary Seacole statue funding target is in sight The campaign to erect a statue commemorating black nursing heroine Mary Seacole is nearing its final stage, according to supporters. The Mary Seacole memorial appeal’s vice-chair Elizabeth Anionwu said the 10ft bronze memorial will definitely be going up next year as planned in the grounds of St Thomas’ Hospital on the south bank of the Thames in London. Professor Anionwu said that thanks to recent donations, the £500,000 appeal had ‘broken
NURSING STANDARD
through’ and now only needed to raise a final £99,000 for completion. ‘We are on the last lap and convinced we are on target with the amount of support we have had,’ she said. The statue of Mrs Seacole, who cared for soldiers wounded in the Crimean War in the mid-1850s, will be the first in the UK of a black, female figure from history. To donate to the statue appeal go to tinyurl.com/ohukqqd
BARNEY NEWMAN
By Kat Keogh
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 21, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
If you have a news story call the news desk on +44 (0)20 8872 3144 or email [email protected]
Nurses say patients still neglected because of inadequate staff levels Patient care is being neglected because nurses do not have enough time with patients, a UK-wide survey by Unison has revealed. In the poll of almost 3,000 nurses, carried out on March 4 to capture a typical day in the NHS (see box), 65 per cent said they do not have enough time because of understaffing. Fifty four per cent warned care was being left undone, despite many working unpaid overtime and through their breaks. This is despite nurse recruitment drives across the UK following Robert Francis QC’s report into Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, which linked poor care to chronic understaffing. Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said that the ‘Francis effect’ has resulted in an extra 2,400 nurses being hired in the past year. Yet 45 per cent of survey respondents said they were caring for eight or more patients on ward settings, rising to 51 per cent for night staff. Unison has called for legally enforceable nurse-topatient ratios of one nurse to every four or six patients for optimal care. Unison head of nursing Gail Adams said despite
A day in the life 88% regularly have bank or agency staff on their shift
59%
felt there was not enough staff to deliver safe, dignified and compassionate care
58%
worked overtime and through their breaks
51%
did not feel confident enough to raise concerns locally
48%
said their workplace was at risk of a Mid Staffs-style situation, or that it is already happening in some parts of their organisation
45%
worked up to an hour unpaid after their shift ended
24%
said staffing levels were not displayed on wards
10%
clocked up to two hours in unpaid overtime on that day
Source: Unison Running on Empty survey
staffing being a key issue in reports by Francis and NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh, nurses remain under ‘unsustainable pressure’. She explained: ‘Harm occurs when staffing levels are not right, resulting in falls, pressure ulcers and repeat admissions. Errors
cost the NHS money, so a legally enforceable nurse-to-patient staffing ratio makes sense not only economically, but for morale reasons. ‘Nurses stay late or turn up to work when ill because they know the pressure their colleagues are under and that care could suffer.’ The government has rejected calls for national mandatory staffing ratios, saying they should be set locally by employers. By the end of June, all trusts in England will have to display staffing details for each shift, present monthly staffing reports to their board and publish staffing data online. The Safe Staffing Alliance – a group of senior nurses brought together by Nursing Standard – believes that care becomes unsafe on wards when staffing levels fall below a ratio of one nurse to eight patients. Alliance chair Susan Osborne said healthcare organisations are sitting on a ‘nursing timebomb’. She added: ‘Hearing how shortstaffed and under pressure nurses are, as well as negative media coverage, sends the message that nursing is an unattractive career prospect. Why would you want to go into nursing if you do not have enough time to care for your patients?’
Mary Seacole statue funding target is in sight The campaign to erect a statue commemorating black nursing heroine Mary Seacole is nearing its final stage, according to supporters. The Mary Seacole memorial appeal’s vice-chair Elizabeth Anionwu said the 10ft bronze memorial will definitely be going up next year as planned in the grounds of St Thomas’ Hospital on the south bank of the Thames in London. Professor Anionwu said that thanks to recent donations, the £500,000 appeal had ‘broken
NURSING STANDARD
through’ and now only needed to raise a final £99,000 for completion. ‘We are on the last lap and convinced we are on target with the amount of support we have had,’ she said. The statue of Mrs Seacole, who cared for soldiers wounded in the Crimean War in the mid-1850s, will be the first in the UK of a black, female figure from history. To donate to the statue appeal go to tinyurl.com/ohukqqd
BARNEY NEWMAN
By Kat Keogh
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 21, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
