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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/feb/05/more-nurses-needed-to-avoid-new-mid-staffs-style-scandal-says-rcn
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| More nurses needed to avoid new Mid Staffs-style scandal, says RCN | More nurses needed to avoid new Mid Staffs-style scandal, says RCN |
| (4 days later) | |
| More nurses are needed to prevent another scandal similar to that at Mid Staffordshire NHS trust, in which poor care was blamed for patient deaths, nursing leaders have said. | More nurses are needed to prevent another scandal similar to that at Mid Staffordshire NHS trust, in which poor care was blamed for patient deaths, nursing leaders have said. |
| The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) says government attempts to increase the number of trainee nurses are not working and that care failings are becoming more likely. | The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) says government attempts to increase the number of trainee nurses are not working and that care failings are becoming more likely. |
| Janet Davies, the RCN’s chief executive and general secretary, said: “The staffing crisis must be stopped from spiralling further ... Five years after the warnings and lessons in the Mid Staffs report, the government is still squandering the chance to address the issue – making care failings more likely, not less.” | Janet Davies, the RCN’s chief executive and general secretary, said: “The staffing crisis must be stopped from spiralling further ... Five years after the warnings and lessons in the Mid Staffs report, the government is still squandering the chance to address the issue – making care failings more likely, not less.” |
| Between 400 to 1,200 patients died as a result of poor care between January 2005 and March 2009 at Stafford hospital. The Francis report examined care quality at the trust and the many reasons why it was so substandard. | Between 400 to 1,200 patients died as a result of poor care between January 2005 and March 2009 at Stafford hospital. The Francis report examined care quality at the trust and the many reasons why it was so substandard. |
| The UK has fewer doctors and nurses than many other comparable countries both in Europe and worldwide. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Britain comes 24th in a league table of 34 member countries in terms of the number of doctors they have relative to their populations. Greece, Austria and Norway have the most; the three countries with proportionately the fewest medics are Turkey, Chile and Mexico. Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, regularly points out that the NHS in England has more doctors and nurses than when the Conservatives came to power in 2010. That is true, although there are now fewer district nurses, mental health nurses and other types of health professionals. | The UK has fewer doctors and nurses than many other comparable countries both in Europe and worldwide. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Britain comes 24th in a league table of 34 member countries in terms of the number of doctors they have relative to their populations. Greece, Austria and Norway have the most; the three countries with proportionately the fewest medics are Turkey, Chile and Mexico. Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, regularly points out that the NHS in England has more doctors and nurses than when the Conservatives came to power in 2010. That is true, although there are now fewer district nurses, mental health nurses and other types of health professionals. |
| NHS unions and health thinktanks point out that rises in NHS staff’s workloads have outstripped the increases in overall staff numbers. Hospital bosses say that understaffing is now their number one problem, even ahead of lack of money and pressure to meet exacting NHS-wide performance targets. Hunt has recently acknowledged that, and Health Education England, the NHS’s staffing and training agency, last month published a workforce strategy intended to tackle the problem. | NHS unions and health thinktanks point out that rises in NHS staff’s workloads have outstripped the increases in overall staff numbers. Hospital bosses say that understaffing is now their number one problem, even ahead of lack of money and pressure to meet exacting NHS-wide performance targets. Hunt has recently acknowledged that, and Health Education England, the NHS’s staffing and training agency, last month published a workforce strategy intended to tackle the problem. |
| Read a full Q&A on the NHS winter crisis | Read a full Q&A on the NHS winter crisis |
| Nurses’ leaders called for an urgent national campaign and greater incentives for graduates in other subjects and those already working in the NHS to move into nursing. “The government knows that when there aren’t enough nurses, patients can pay the very highest price,” Davies said. | Nurses’ leaders called for an urgent national campaign and greater incentives for graduates in other subjects and those already working in the NHS to move into nursing. “The government knows that when there aren’t enough nurses, patients can pay the very highest price,” Davies said. |
| Her warning comes as the RCN publishes Left to Chance, a report that includes Ucas data showing a second decline in applications this year. | Her warning comes as the RCN publishes Left to Chance, a report that includes Ucas data showing a second decline in applications this year. |
| Changes to the funding of nurses’ training, including the removal of the student bursary, were announced in 2015. Ministers repeatedly announced extra training places last year but did not find enough students to fill them, the analysis shows. Seven hundred fewer students began training last year after the education overhaul. | Changes to the funding of nurses’ training, including the removal of the student bursary, were announced in 2015. Ministers repeatedly announced extra training places last year but did not find enough students to fill them, the analysis shows. Seven hundred fewer students began training last year after the education overhaul. |
| The number of applications for the next academic year has fallen by 33% since the from 43,720 to 29,390 in two years. | The number of applications for the next academic year has fallen by 33% since the from 43,720 to 29,390 in two years. |
| The RCN said the nursing workforce was shrinking, with at least 40,000 NHS vacancies in England. It said ministers must encourage would-be students to apply before the summer in order to increase numbers in 2021. | The RCN said the nursing workforce was shrinking, with at least 40,000 NHS vacancies in England. It said ministers must encourage would-be students to apply before the summer in order to increase numbers in 2021. |
| The new nursing apprenticeship attracted only 30 trainees against a government target of 1,000 for 2017. The RCN said the Treasury and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) should cover the costs of the apprenticeship model to encourage greater uptake by NHS employers who deliver the course. | The new nursing apprenticeship attracted only 30 trainees against a government target of 1,000 for 2017. The RCN said the Treasury and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) should cover the costs of the apprenticeship model to encourage greater uptake by NHS employers who deliver the course. |
| Brexit was noted as an added reason for Britain to train its own nurses and rely less on “expensive and challenging international recruitment”. | Brexit was noted as an added reason for Britain to train its own nurses and rely less on “expensive and challenging international recruitment”. |
| Davies said: “Nursing is now a graduate profession, but it lacks a graduate salary that compensates for the fees paid. With fair pay and other incentives, ministers must redouble efforts to get students into nursing courses this year.” | Davies said: “Nursing is now a graduate profession, but it lacks a graduate salary that compensates for the fees paid. With fair pay and other incentives, ministers must redouble efforts to get students into nursing courses this year.” |
| The report also calls for the introduction of a comprehensive and long-term workforce strategy, and for safe staffing levels and accountability for planning and provision to be written into law. | The report also calls for the introduction of a comprehensive and long-term workforce strategy, and for safe staffing levels and accountability for planning and provision to be written into law. |
| A DHSC spokesperson said: “Our priority is getting more nurses on our wards, which is why we have increased the number of nurse training places available by 25%, allowing more people to study nursing than ever before. | A DHSC spokesperson said: “Our priority is getting more nurses on our wards, which is why we have increased the number of nurse training places available by 25%, allowing more people to study nursing than ever before. |
| “Any decrease in the number of applications must be seen in the context of this significant increase in the number of nursing places available, and places remain oversubscribed.” | “Any decrease in the number of applications must be seen in the context of this significant increase in the number of nursing places available, and places remain oversubscribed.” |