Nursing staff must raise concerns

Published: 22 November 2012

Nursing staff must act promptly to raise concerns if staffing levels or other pressures get in the way of delivering patient care, according to the Royal College of Nursing.

Responding to a Patients Association report on poor care, Dr Peter Carter, RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, said: “This annual report again highlights some deeply worrying examples of poor care, in which patients have clearly failed to be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.”

Dr Carter said nursing staff can and should lead society in ensuring all older people are treated with respect and kindness both in health care and in the rest of their lives.

He also called on senior managers and chief executives in trusts and health boards to ensure there are sufficient numbers of staff with appropriate skills.

Dr Carter said: “We know that particularly in older people’s settings, nurses are often unable to provide the level of care they would like to because of short staffing. In addition, with more than 61,000 posts either gone or set to be axed in the NHS in England, this is undoubtedly affecting patient care.”