NEWS
Nurses are being ‘fobbed off’ by NICE when it comes to safe staffing By Janet Snell Nursing is being ‘given the runaround’ by being asked to collect more and more workforce data while the causes of insufficient staffing – lack of money and lack of trained nurses – are not addressed. That is the view of the Safe Staffing Alliance, a group of nurse leaders brought together by Nursing Standard, who plan to tell the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) that their new guidelines on nurse staffing, published last week, ‘lack teeth’. NICE is currently consulting on the guidelines, but at a meeting of the Safe Staffing Alliance last week members voiced concerns that collecting figures on staffing looked set to become ‘an industry’ that would take nurses away from caring for patients. The alliance has received complaints from exasperated nurse managers who are being asked to collect hourly data on staffing. Alliance chair Susan Osborne said: ‘We cannot stretch the rubber band any further – we have to stand up for our colleagues. We need to remind people that once you get to one registered nurse to 12 patients, you double the mortality risk.’ She added: ‘If we are going to move towards “never more than 8” – which is not being met in many parts of the country – then we need to start commissioning extra nursing places on courses as a matter of urgency.’ Earlier last week, the alliance met health select committee member Andrew George MP, who said that he welcomed the NICE guidelines as a first step, but supported the alliance’s call for mandatory staffing levels. ‘If these were in place then trusts would face a sanction if they do not
have sufficient staff. They could expect to be carpeted by the Care Quality Commission.’ Mr George added that he felt there was too much ‘management babble’ clouding the issue. ‘We are told we need “the right person in the right place at the right time”. But of course we do. Who would argue for the opposite? It is nonsense.’ Susan Osborne agreed adding: ‘There is a very real sense that nurses are being fobbed off here. Many of the people who helped draft the NICE guidelines are not at the sharp end.
Their views are divorced from reality and their expectations are unrealistic.’ Alliance member Eiri Jones, a former director of nursing, told the meeting: ‘Asking nurses to collect all these figures is a displacement activity. They are saying “let’s send the nurses off to do a stocktake”. It is just a delaying tactic.’ She added that a positive aspect of the NICE guidelines was that nurse staffing was viewed as a shared responsibility and not just laid at the door of directors of nursing. ‘I am pleased to see nursing is no longer in the naughty corner on this.’ See analysis page 14
Laura Serrant wins Queen’s Nurse award A leading nurse academic has spoken of her pride in being awarded the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse. Laura Serrant, professor of community and public health nursing at
the University of Wolverhampton, was awarded the title for her contribution to community nursing. The title, which dates back to the time of Queen Victoria, is awarded by the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) to community nurses who demonstrate particularly high standards. It is the latest accolade for Professor Serrant, who has previously been awarded the 2013 Winston Churchill travel fellowship, the Mary Seacole nursing research leadership award and the Florence Nightingale travel scholarship. Professor Serrant, pictured with England’s chief nursing officer Jane Cummings, at the recent QNI ceremony, said: ‘For me, the Queen’s Nurse title is a great honour, particularly as it is not often given to nurses in academic settings. Nurses in academia have an important role to play as we educate the next generation.’
NURSING STANDARD may 21 :: vol 28 no 38 :: 2014 9 Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 21, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
Nurses are being ‘fobbed off’ by NICE when it comes to safe staffing By Janet Snell Nursing is being ‘given the runaround’ by being asked to collect more and more workforce data while the causes of insufficient staffing – lack of money and lack of trained nurses – are not addressed. That is the view of the Safe Staffing Alliance, a group of nurse leaders brought together by Nursing Standard, who plan to tell the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) that their new guidelines on nurse staffing, published last week, ‘lack teeth’. NICE is currently consulting on the guidelines, but at a meeting of the Safe Staffing Alliance last week members voiced concerns that collecting figures on staffing looked set to become ‘an industry’ that would take nurses away from caring for patients. The alliance has received complaints from exasperated nurse managers who are being asked to collect hourly data on staffing. Alliance chair Susan Osborne said: ‘We cannot stretch the rubber band any further – we have to stand up for our colleagues. We need to remind people that once you get to one registered nurse to 12 patients, you double the mortality risk.’ She added: ‘If we are going to move towards “never more than 8” – which is not being met in many parts of the country – then we need to start commissioning extra nursing places on courses as a matter of urgency.’ Earlier last week, the alliance met health select committee member Andrew George MP, who said that he welcomed the NICE guidelines as a first step, but supported the alliance’s call for mandatory staffing levels. ‘If these were in place then trusts would face a sanction if they do not
have sufficient staff. They could expect to be carpeted by the Care Quality Commission.’ Mr George added that he felt there was too much ‘management babble’ clouding the issue. ‘We are told we need “the right person in the right place at the right time”. But of course we do. Who would argue for the opposite? It is nonsense.’ Susan Osborne agreed adding: ‘There is a very real sense that nurses are being fobbed off here. Many of the people who helped draft the NICE guidelines are not at the sharp end.
Their views are divorced from reality and their expectations are unrealistic.’ Alliance member Eiri Jones, a former director of nursing, told the meeting: ‘Asking nurses to collect all these figures is a displacement activity. They are saying “let’s send the nurses off to do a stocktake”. It is just a delaying tactic.’ She added that a positive aspect of the NICE guidelines was that nurse staffing was viewed as a shared responsibility and not just laid at the door of directors of nursing. ‘I am pleased to see nursing is no longer in the naughty corner on this.’ See analysis page 14
Laura Serrant wins Queen’s Nurse award A leading nurse academic has spoken of her pride in being awarded the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse. Laura Serrant, professor of community and public health nursing at
the University of Wolverhampton, was awarded the title for her contribution to community nursing. The title, which dates back to the time of Queen Victoria, is awarded by the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) to community nurses who demonstrate particularly high standards. It is the latest accolade for Professor Serrant, who has previously been awarded the 2013 Winston Churchill travel fellowship, the Mary Seacole nursing research leadership award and the Florence Nightingale travel scholarship. Professor Serrant, pictured with England’s chief nursing officer Jane Cummings, at the recent QNI ceremony, said: ‘For me, the Queen’s Nurse title is a great honour, particularly as it is not often given to nurses in academic settings. Nurses in academia have an important role to play as we educate the next generation.’
NURSING STANDARD may 21 :: vol 28 no 38 :: 2014 9 Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 21, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
