Minimum Staffing Levels Rejected By Jeremy Hunt

A review of hospitals and the care they provide has concluded that hospital wards should have a minimum staffing level to ensure patient safety. The report echoes many of the findings of a public inquiry that was launched and released following failings at the Mid Staffordshire hospital. However, while ministers are expected to agree with the overall sentiment and findings of the report, they have been expected to delay on responding to specific recommendations.

A number of scandals have rocked the NHS in recent months and years. One of the most recent of these led to Prime Minister David Cameron ordering a review of patient safety within the Mid Staffordshire NHS. Patients were found to have been lying in their own faeces and some had to drink water from flower vases because they did not receive drinks from NHS staff. The findings offered nearly 300 recommendations to help improve the quality of the NHS and the patient safety that was afforded. Many of those recommendations have so far been resisted.

However, resistance may prove more difficult for the government and the Prime Minister following a review by Prof Don Berwick. His own findings mirror many of those in the public inquiry and he advised wards have minimum staffing levels and that nurses should be allocated fewer patients. A study found that, in some hospitals, nurses were expected to provide care for up to 15 patients at a time and that the ward relied more heavily on unqualified staff.

One powerful opponent of the proposals is Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. He has said that he will oppose minimum staffing levels saying that such matters should be determined on a hospital and ward-by-ward basis rather than dictating that every ward should have a set amount of nurses and employees.

Concerns have also been raised over a statutory duty of candour. This would mean that staff who did not report mistakes or negligence may face criminal prosecution but there is worry that this move would create a culture of fear. Mr Hunt said that it is important to tap into the dedicated NHS staff without alienating them.

Accidents At Work General PI News Medical Negligence ClaimsAug 31st, 20130 comments