Royal College of Nursing responds to CQC’s annual survey of hospital inpatients
Responding to CQC’s annual survey of hospital inpatients, released today, RCN Director for England Patricia Marquis said:
"Patient confidence in NHS staff remains high thanks in no small part to the dedicated work of nursing professionals, many of whom routinely work unpaid overtime to deliver the care people need.
"But given the growing staffing crisis in wards across the country, it’s sadly no surprise that some patients are less satisfied with the care they’ve received as hospital inpatients. It’s also no surprise that almost four in ten patients said they had a long wait for a bed when even yesterday the head of the NHS in England admits the health service no longer has enough beds for the patients it serves.
“As Simon Stevens admitted yesterday, opening more beds simply isn’t possible without more nurses to staff them. It is time for a properly-funded staffing plan based on evidence from the front line and backed by legislation to ensure those at the top are accountable for delivering safe and effective care across all healthcare settings. It’s also time for Ministers to restore at least £1 billion in funding for nurse higher education to attract and train the next generation of nurses.”
