NHS staff standards must deliver accountability for employers, says RCN

Robust enforcement mechanisms must be in place for those who fail to deliver against new NHS staff standards, the RCN says.

Our comments come in response to staff standards published today (6 July 2026), which set national minimum employment requirements to improve the experiences of NHS staff in England.

The standards were developed by the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, in collaboration with employers and staff through the Social Partnership Forum, and using data from NHS staff surveys.

The standards will underpin the NHS Oversight Framework and be used to measure employers’ performance, with a promise of clear action to be taken when they’re not delivered.

We’re calling for more information on what metrics will be used to score trusts using the  NHS Oversight Framework, and for local union representatives to be given sufficient time to support this work.

RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger said:

“Zero-tolerance policies on paper have done little to improve the day-to-day experience of nursing staff. The new standards must refocus minds and employers must waste no time in developing concrete action plans in partnership with the RCN and other trade unions to turn things around.

“For far too long, staff have endured sometimes inhumane treatment at work while leaders remain unaware or look the other way. The impact on nursing staff has been profound, and if these levels of abuse don’t change, they will continue to walk away from our NHS and that would be a tragedy.”

The UK government committed to these standards in its 10-Year Health Plan for England. The standards will focus on six key areas:

• line management (including how to best support line managers)
• health and wellbeing (physical environment, rest spaces, and occupational health and wellbeing support)
• preventing and reducing violence against staff
• championing sexual safety
• tackling racism
• promoting flexible working.

The standards set a minimum expectation for secondary care – including acute, mental health, ambulance services and community health care. Longer-term plans will aim to refine these standards and how they are measured, and explore the possibility of them being rolled out more widely.