Two-thirds of NHS nurses believe lack of staff is putting patients at risk, survey finds | Nursing

A survey has found that almost two-thirds of nurses believe there are too few staff in the NHS to keep patients safe and provide them with appropriate care.

Increasingly complex medical needs created by understaffing and an aging population are creating a “deadly mix” for patients, the Royal College of Nursing warned on Monday.

More than a fifth (22%) of nurses working in hospitals or community settings across the UK told the RCN that the number of nurses on duty on their last shift was “far below what is needed”, leaving care “significantly compromised” and leaving “a high risk of harm to patents and staff”.

Of the more than 13,000 nurses surveyed, 64% said they thought the number of registered nurses on that shift was “below” or “well below” the number needed to provide safe care.

A nurse working in an A&E in England told the union: “The shift was completely unsafe and it felt like a miracle no avoidable harm occurred.”

Prof Nicola Ranger, chief executive and general secretary of the RCN, will call on ministers to introduce mandatory minimum safe nurse staffing levels as she opens its annual congress on Monday.

“Widespread vacancies of registered nurses are always unsafe,” he said. “But the risk is exacerbated by the demands of providing increasingly complex care to an aging and sicker population with multiple health conditions. It’s a lethal mix.”

In his speech in Liverpool, he will accuse ministers of failing to ensure there are enough nurses in the health service and of setting the nursing profession up for failure.

Frail and elderly patients are particularly at risk due to nursing shortages, the RCN has warned. A nurse working on an elderly ward in England said: “Managing high-risk fall patients requiring one-to-one supervision simply cannot be achieved with current staffing levels.”

Figures released by the RCN show growth in the nursing workforce slowed last year to its lowest level in eight years. The rate of increase in the number of doctors employed by the NHS in England over the last decade has exceeded 51 per cent of the increase in the nursing workforce, the report said.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Nurses are the backbone of our NHS and support patients both physically and emotionally at their most vulnerable moments. It is vital they are equipped with the tools and resources they need to deliver first-class care to those who need it.

“We have recruited a further 16,000 nurses and health visitors since our election in July 2024, and our upcoming 10-year workforce plan will create a clear roadmap for improving working lives in the NHS, including better treatment of staff, better quality training and more fulfilling roles.”

Meanwhile, NHS bosses in England have warned hospitals will be forced to make “deep cuts” to services this year because they don’t have enough money.

A survey of leaders of healthcare trusts by membership organization NHS Alliance found:

• 64 percent are expected to have service cuts this year.

• 83% fear financial constraints will impact planned patient care, and 78% worry it will impact urgent care.

• 57% expected to reduce clinical staff this year to save money.

The organisation’s chief executive, Ciaran Devane, said the “NHS is starting to turn the corner in many ways”, with shorter waiting times and higher public satisfaction. But progress is at risk due to “possible service closures and layoffs this year” because the service needs more money to do its job properly.

A DHSC spokesman said: “We recognize the challenges facing NHS leaders, but this government has supported the health service with record investment, improving productivity and encouraging advances in technology.

“Waiting lists are at their lowest in more than three years, with more than half a million people waiting for treatment since July 2024. We have also expanded community diagnostics, surgery centers and GP appointments to ensure patients are seen faster.”