16.01.12
CQC must improve – RCN
Nurses believe the Care Quality Commission (CQC) must improve protection for NHS whistleblowers and take staffing levels into account when investigating patient care, a union poll shows.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) surveyed members and found that 35% did not believe the CQC takes staffing levels into account as a contribution to poor patient care. There were also concerns about the consistency of inspections acrossEngland.
The RCN recommends a two week target for the CQC to respond to staff who raise concerns about the NHS and monitor and publish its success in meeting those targets. It also suggests that inspections should report on staffing levels, including the ratio of trained nurses to other staff.
RCN chief executive Dr Peter Carter said: “Having the right numbers and mix of healthcare professionals is pivotal to delivering high standards of patient care and outcomes.
“It is therefore very worrying that nurses feel that the CQC does not focus enough on staffing levels in hospitals and care homes, and has a lack of experienced staff to carry out the inspections. This clearly undermines the credibility of its work.”
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