Join our campaign for safe staffing

The UK picture

Safe staffing means having enough nursing staff with the right skills and knowledge, in the right place, at the right time. Without safe staffing levels in place, nursing staff are struggling to provide patients with the safe and effective care they would like to, and which patients deserve.

We're calling for safe and effective care to be enshrined in law in each UK country.

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.

> Join the campaign

Wales

Safe staffing legislation which covers NHS hospitals has already been introduced in Wales.

The RCN is continuing to campaign to ensure that this law improves the situation for nursing teams and their patients. The RCN is also working with the Welsh Government to extend the legislation to other areas of nursing.

> Join the campaign

Scotland

In May 2019 the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act became law.

The RCN is now focused on monitoring how the law is implemented and making sure it achieves its aims.

Join the campaign

Northern Ireland

RCN members in Northern Ireland are currently undertaking a programme of industrial action to demand measures promoting safe nurse staffing and pay equality.

> Join the campaign

Our principles for staffing for safe and effective care

Accountability

We want it to be clear whose job it is to make sure there are enough nurses to meet patients’ needs.

Numbers

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 .

Strategy

We want a vision for tackling nurse shortages and making sure nursing helps meet the whole country’s health needs.

Plans

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.

Education

We want governments to educate enough nursing students, and develop existing staff, to meet patients’ needs.

Find out more about our safe staffing campaign

79 news articles

7 Feb 2020
RCN comment on Scottish budget 2020-21

Extra funding for health and social care services is welcome but a continued long-term focus is needed to tackle current staffing shortages and meet ever-increasing demand, says RCN Scotland.
6 Feb 2020
Members take safe staffing call to heart of government

Nursing staff arrived at 10 Downing Street to hand in petitions with over 220,000 signatures calling for urgent action to fix the nursing workforce crisis in England.
6 Feb 2020
Nursing applications still 25% lower than bursary-era figures, while workforce crisis continues

RCN responds to UCAS nursing application data with calls for investment in nurse higher education.
4 Feb 2020
Latest statistics show continued effect of high vacancy rates, says nurse leader

Staffing levels are undoubtedly 'having an impact' on quality of care, says RCN Scotland Director Theresa Fyffe.
31 Jan 2020
New report details progress driven by RCN safe staffing campaign

It reveals our achievements and challenges in achieving safe nurse staffing levels across the UK.
24 Jan 2020
RCN Wales gravely disappointed at lack of support from Welsh government on workforce planning

The Minister for Health and Social Services has missed a vital opportunity to ensure all NHS services have safe staffing levels across Wales.
23 Jan 2020
Doctors and nurses call on decision makers to make safe staffing a priority

Wales could soon have a new law that makes sure all NHS services have safe levels of staff.
16 Jan 2020
Members urged to complete staffing levels survey

The RCN will use the results to fight for better working conditions and improved patient care.
16 Jan 2020
RCN suspends historic strike action in Northern Ireland

We’ll now consult members on the offer for pay parity and safe staffing.
14 Jan 2020
Pay parity promised for nursing staff in Northern Ireland

The RCN will consider written details of this and a costed plan to improve nurse staffing levels before deciding whether to suspend strike action next week.