Join our campaign for safe staffing
The UK picture
Last Shift Survey Report
This year's survey reveals the extent of the UK staffing crisis in nursing, with 8 in 10 shifts lacking enough staff to keep patients safe. Read more today.
Calling for safe staffing across the UK
England
In England there is no law related to nurse staffing.
The RCN is campaigning for legislation to guarantee nurse staffing levels in England across all sectors and settings.
Wales
The Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016 was the first law of its kind in the UK. It requires health boards to provide sufficient nursing staff so that all patients can receive sensitive care. Section 25B defines the appropriate number of nurses for children's wards and adult medical and surgical wards.
RCN Wales continues to campaign for the extension of Section 25B to new settings, particularly mental health inpatient wards, community nursing, and care homes.
Scotland
In June 2019 the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act became law, the first legislation in the UK to set out requirements for safe staffing across both health and social care services.
Implementation has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the RCN is calling for the Act to be fully implemented by the end of 2021.
Northern Ireland
Following industrial action during 2019/2020 to achieve pay equality and safe staffing, the priority for RCN Northern Ireland is to hold the Department of Health and Northern Ireland Executive to account for the delivery of the Health Minister’s safe staffing framework, particularly in relation to the implementation of safe staffing legislation.
RCN Nursing Workforce Standards
The RCN's Nursing Workforce Standards are the first national blueprint for tackling the nursing staff shortage levels across the UK. They set the standard for excellent patient care and nursing support in all settings, and all UK countries.
Winter wellbeing
Protecting yourself and your patients is vitally important this winter
Working time and rest breaks
Read our advice guide on working time and breaks
Our principles for staffing for safe and effective care
We want it to be clear whose job it is to make sure there are enough nurses to meet patients’ needs.
We want the right number of nurses, with the right skills, to be in the right place, at the right time - so patients’ needs are met .
We want a vision for tackling nurse shortages and making sure nursing helps meet the whole country’s health needs.
We want clear plans for getting the right numbers and skill mix of nursing staff and we want checks to make sure they really happen.
We want governments to educate enough nursing students, and develop existing staff, to meet patients’ needs.
Find out more about our safe staffing campaign
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28 Apr 2022
'We'll never stop fighting for safe staffing'
RCN pledges to keep campaigning as new law gets passed in England without key changes to address the nursing workforce crisis and protect patient care.
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31 Mar 2022
Government fails to stand up for patients in vote on law change
Despite RCN members and supporters sending 10,000 emails urging MPs to help address the nursing workforce crisis, the majority of MPs voted against a crucial change to the Health and Care Bill.
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30 Mar 2022
Staffing crisis jeopardising safe care, says RCN in response to NHS survey findings
We’re demanding a change in the law to address severe workforce shortages as latest NHS staff survey results show there are too few staff for nurses to do their jobs properly.
Support our campaigns
As a campaign supporter you'll receive regular emails with online actions to help us campaign on the big issues facing nursing.
Read our reports
- Safe and Effective Staffing: the Real Picture
- Safe and Effective Staffing: Nursing Against the Odds
- Staffing for Safe and Effective Care
- Staffing for Safe and Effective Care: RCN Member Campaigning in the UK
- Standing up for patient and public safety
- Staffing for Safe and Effective Care in the UK
- BRIEFING: Nursing Workforce Shortages: 21 Missed Warnings
Subject guide
Safe staffing publications, resources and journal articles collated by the RCN library.
Advice guide
Guidance on staffing levels in health and care settings across the UK.
