11.03.14
‘Reckless policy’ draining NHS of experienced nurses
A Royal College of Nursing (RCN) report has stated that ‘reckless policy’ has left the NHS with almost 4,000 fewer senior nursing posts than 2010.
Based on freedom of information data obtained from the Health and Social Care
Information Centre (HSCIC), theresearch, ‘More than just a number’, confirms that senior nursing roles have borne the brunt of workforce cuts, leading to a loss of experience and skills that are needed toensure patient safety and drive up care standards.
According to figures from the report, within wider nursing workforce cuts is a significant loss and devaluation of skills and experience in the NHS with 3,994 fewer full time equivalent (FTE) nursing staff working in senior positions (bands 7 and 8). Staff working within these bands include ward sisters, community matrons, clinical nurse specialists and advanced nurse practitioners.
In the Mid Staffordshire Public Inquiry, Robert Francis QC highlighted the importance of having ward managers who were able to properly manage their wards and other nursing staff, noting that their role was “universally recognised as absolutely critical”.
Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of the RCN, said: “Nurses have been telling us for some time that workforce reorganisations are disproportionately targeted at more senior staff with key specialist or leadership roles. This is something which has a knock-on effect on all staff, and most importantly on patient care.
“As the Francis report rightly pointed out, patient care is affected when there are not enough senior nurses to effectively manage wards. When these positions are targeted for cuts, ward managers have less time to develop and support staff.”
Responding to the RCN report, Dean Royles, chief executive of the NHS Employers organisation, said that these “simplified” figures help to tell part of a very complex story.
He added that cash is flat, demand is rising, the way we care for people is changing and other professions like physiotherapists, dieticians, scientists and occupational therapists play a huge and often under-appreciated part in delivering quality care.
“Local nurse managers and their employers are doing a remarkable job in challenging circumstances and developing new models of care,” said Royles. “Judging the quality of care by the numbers of one particular staff group may be attractive to a nursing trade union but we also need to have a look at what skill mix gets the best outcomes for the patients. That's the sophisticated debate we need to be having.”
Tell us what you think – have your say below or email [email protected]