Responding to the Health Secretary’s winter funding announcement, Executive Director of RCN, Patricia Marquis said:

“After a relentless summer with record-breaking temperatures exposing the liabilities of the crumbling health and care estate and with patients and staff collapsing on wards, nursing staff are already concerned about the additional pressures winter will bring.

“Whilst this announcement will help to boost short-term capacity it is just another sticking plaster on a system that is at breaking point. The nursing workforce needed to deliver these services goes into winter already running on empty and short of staff.

“With the Budget just weeks away, ministers have the opportunity to provide the real investment needed to grow a nursing workforce fit for the future and ensure patient care is protected all year round.”

Ends

Notes to editors

Department of Health and Social Care - £140 million boost to urgent care to ease winter pressures on NHS