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Research proves we need safe staffing
Professor Anne Marie Rafferty, RCN President, explains how two decades of nursing workforce research offers the evidence we need to achieve safe staffing
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Safe staffing: 'Government promise must be backed by action'
Part of the NHS pay offer in England is a commitment to developing a policy framework for safe staffing. Chair of the RCN Professional Nursing Committee Rachel Hollis considers the significance of this
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Job Evaluation for NHS stewards - Session 1
An event for RCN stewards working in the NHS about job evaluation.
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Casework masterclass - Session 1
An event for RCN stewards working across England in all settings.
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Why Registered Nurse-to-Patient Ratios are Needed: The rationale and evidence base
The RCN’s commitment to safe staffing has been long-standing and remains a priority. This document sets out an evidence-based argument for using enforceable minimum registered nurse staffing levels (often described as registered nurse-to-patient ratios) to reduce patient safety risks, improve nurse wellbeing, enhance nurse recruitment and retention, and improve the cost efficiency of health and social care service delivery. It accompanies Registered Nurse-to-Patient Ratios: A synthesis of current guidance in the UK (publication code: 012 611).
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Failure to fix social care 'roadblock' to NHS improvements, says Royal College of Nursing
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Professor Nicola Ranger, said: “The real human cost of long waits and overcrowding is patients languishing in corridors, going into cardiac arrest, receiving intimate care, or being given end-of-life news in full view of others."
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Spotlight on learning disability nursing: Bridging the gap in respiratory care
Continuing our celebration of Scottish learning disability week, we’re spotlighting the amazing work of our 2026 learning disability award runner up, Susan Craig.
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Briefing: RCN Scotland's approach to public sector reform
The First Minister announced proposals for significant reform of health and social care services in the Programme for Government 2026-31. We understand that our members are, of course, concerned about what the proposals will mean for the services they deliver, for their patients and for their own jobs. We are calling for the Scottish government to set out very clearly how service delivery will be improved and establish clear measures to monitor whether this is achieved.
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'Constant firefighting': safe staffing solutions in action
June’s created new pathways to support colleagues to escalate safe staffing concerns
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Registered Nurse-to-Patient Ratios: A synthesis of current guidance in the UK
Nursing is a safety critical profession. The work of registered nurses consists of many specialised and complex interventions, interwoven skilful expertise and surveillance. The RCN endorses enforceable minimum registered nurse-to-patient ratios, ensuring staffing levels do not fall to dangerously low levels and helping protect patients and nursing staff from avoidable harm. Across diverse settings, nursing presence and vigilance is critical to the safety of people, the prevention of avoidable harm and the management of risks. This resource makes explicit the information that is available (and not available) on registered nurse-to-patient ratios identified in staffing guidelines for different specialties. Where a ratio has been identified in published guidance, it may be valuable for staff and managers to refer to as part of discussions on what nurse staffing levels should be, in a meaningful way. It accompanies Why Registered Nurse-to-Patient Ratios are Needed: The rationale and evidence base (publication code: 012 610)
