The RCN is continuing to speak out on behalf of members as the next stage of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry takes place today (Wednesday 27 September), with a preliminary hearing for Module 3. This module will see the RCN give evidence as the inquiry examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care systems in the four nations of the UK.
Going into the pandemic, an RCN survey of members revealed that 73% of nursing staff said there weren’t enough nursing staff on shift to meet the needs of their patients safely and effectively. Now we’ve told the inquiry that short staffing meant that nurses were looking after patients with unsafe nurse-to-patient ratios during the pandemic. This was a serious safety risk.
Wards are still dangerously understaffed now, yet nobody in government is accountable for nursing workforce planning and supply.
We’ve also highlighted that risk assessments were frequently inadequate, which meant that members were put in unsafe conditions. This was especially the case for members with protected characteristics and underlying health conditions. Too many were left without adequate PPE, on understaffed wards, and without enough training and support.
We’ve asked for long COVID to be recognised as a disability in law and for the inquiry to work with the RCN in its appointment of a panel of experts in infection prevention and control.
Since it was announced an inquiry would take place, we’ve said lessons must be learned so the impact that has been felt since the COVID-19 pandemic is never repeated. As a core participant in the UK-wide inquiry and the Scottish inquiry we want to ensure members’ experiences are properly acknowledged.
RCN infection prevention and control lead Rose Gallagher was the first nurse to give evidence to the inquiry. Today she said: “Today’s hearing serves as an important reminder to pause and remember those nursing staff who died during the pandemic, and those who continue to suffer serious long-term mental and physical effects, including long COVID.
“The focus of the inquiry is rightly on learning, and improving future pandemic preparations so that the devastating toll of the pandemic can never happen again. We are taking part to ensure that the voices of nursing staff are heard, and health care professionals are adequately protected.
“We welcome the decision of the inquiry to consider appointing a panel of experts in infection control and look forward to engaging constructively with the inquiry on how this panel will work.”
Please take the opportunity to have your say by sharing your experiences of working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with Every Story Matters. There’s a separate listening exercise in Scotland where there is a nation-specific inquiry taking place. The RCN’s SenseMaker tool can also be used by members to feed back their experiences.
Further information
In Module 1, the inquiry explored how prepared the UK government was for the pandemic. The report hasn’t yet been published. The Module 2 evidential hearing will begin on 3 October this year when the inquiry will look at core UK decision-making and political governance.
