Almost two-thirds of NHS nurses believe there are too few of them to keep patients safe and provide proper care, according to a survey by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). The union warns that understaffing, combined with the complex needs of an ageing population, creates a 'deadly mix' for patients.
More than one in five nurses (22%) working in hospitals or community settings across the UK reported that the number of nurses on duty during their last shift was 'well below what was needed', leaving care 'significantly compromised' and posing a 'high level of risk of harm to patients and staff'. Of the over 13,000 nurses surveyed, 64% said staffing levels were 'below' or 'well below' what was required for safe care.
One A&E nurse in England told the union: 'The shift was completely unsafe and it felt like a miracle that avoidable harm was not caused.' Prof Nicola Ranger, RCN chief executive, will urge ministers to introduce mandatory minimum safe nurse staffing levels at the union's annual congress. She stated: 'Widespread vacancies of registered nurses are always unsafe. But the risk is being compounded by the demands of delivering ever more complex care to an ageing, sicker population, with multiple conditions. It’s a deadly mix.'
The RCN highlighted that frail, elderly patients are particularly at risk. A nurse on an older people’s ward said: 'Managing high-risk fall patients who require one-to-one supervision is simply not achievable with current staffing levels.' The growth in the nursing workforce slowed last year to its lowest level in eight years, and over the past decade, the increase in NHS doctors has outstripped that of nurses by 51%.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson responded: 'Nurses are the backbone of our NHS... It is vital that they are equipped with the tools and resources they need to deliver world class care.' They noted that 16,000 more nurses and health visitors have been recruited since July 2024, and a 10-year workforce plan will improve working lives.
Separately, NHS bosses in England warn of 'deep cuts' to services due to funding shortages. An NHS Alliance survey found 83% of trust leaders fear financial constraints will impact planned care, 78% worry about emergency care, and 57% expect to cut clinical staffing this year. Chief executive Ciaran Devane said progress on waiting times is at risk from 'likely service closures and job cuts'. A DHSC spokesperson countered that record investment, productivity boosts, and tech improvements are supporting the NHS, with waiting lists at their lowest in over three years.
