'Getting the nursing numbers right is fundamental'
– Howard Catton, RCN head of policyThe cumulative effect of those local decisions means that we are heading towards a crisis as far as the supply of nursing is concerned which will have an impact on patient care.
There has to be national oversight to make sure that we are getting the right numbers of healthcare professionals across the system.
Getting the nursing numbers right is fundamental, it's core.
If attention isn't paid to this warning from us we are very, very concerned about what the impact on care will be.
– Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of the RCNOn a daily basis, nurses are telling us that they do not have enough staff to deliver good quality care.
Demand for services is continuing to rise. However, staffing levels are being slashed.
The £3 billion that the Treasury has clawed back from the NHS in the last two years should be reinvested back into vital jobs and services, for example in community provision, that would ultimately improve patient care.
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