NEWS
CQC says greater effort is needed to boost care sector’s workforce @katkeogh
Care homes need more nurses if they are to improve, the Care Quality Commission has warned. The inspectorate’s annual report into the state of health and social care in England states that registered nurses have the highest turnover of any role in the social care sector, with one in three vacancies left unfilled in some areas. In addition, almost a third of nurses working in social care will retire over the next ten years, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said. It is particularly concerned about staff shortages in care homes and says recruitment to these roles should be made a higher priority. One in five care homes inspected by the CQC in 2013/14 did not have adequate staff on duty to ensure residents received good quality care. Inspectors found examples of poor care across the country, including a home in which many residents did not get the help they needed to eat breakfast. ‘Working in adult social care is a tough job, but very rewarding,’ the report states. ‘It is important staff are supported, valued and trained well. Encouraging more nurses to work in the care home sector should be a higher priority.’
Hospital safety
The State of Health Care and Adult Social Care in England report also looked at care in hospitals, with concerns raised about safety standards in four out of five hospitals inspected. Inspections of 82 hospitals during 2013/14 found 65 were rated inadequate or required improvement when it came to safety.
The CQC found widespread evidence of how staff shortages affect the quality of patient care, including call bells going unanswered and increased falls among older patients when staffing levels are low.
Acute shortages
Emergency departments were singled out for having particularly acute nurse shortages, and a shortage of midwives was cited as a ‘frequent’ problem in maternity units. RCN general secretary Peter Carter said variations in the quality of care were unacceptable. ‘It is concerning to see the continued negative effects of a lack of resources,
such as understaffing,’ he said. ‘Wherever nursing care is delivered, whether that is in hospitals, care homes or the community, we need the right number of staff with the right skills and support. ‘The RCN has been warning for years that poor leadership and a lack of funding lead to ineffective organisations and compromised care. ‘This report tells us what we already know – the NHS must improve patient care with strong leadership, safe staffing levels and proper funding.’ To read The State of Health Care and Adult Social Care in England report, go to tinyurl.com/plwf3py
PA
By Kat Keogh
OBE FOR LEADING NURSE RESEARCHER Director of the National Nursing Research Unit at King’s College London Jill Maben received an OBE from Princess Anne during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace last week. Professor Maben, pictured, was recognised for her services to nursing, which include research demonstrating the links between staff wellbeing and patient experience. She has also highlighted how nursing students’
values can become compromised in poor work environments. Professor Maben, who trained at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, said: ‘It was an amazing day.’ She added that when her award was announced in June, she was ‘surprised and pleased’ about the recognition for the work of the unit. She said the Princess Royal had been ‘very well briefed’, asking about a study yet to be published.
NURSING :: vol no 8 ::permission. 2014 9 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 25, 2015. For personal useoctober only. No22 other uses29 without Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
CQC says greater effort is needed to boost care sector’s workforce @katkeogh
Care homes need more nurses if they are to improve, the Care Quality Commission has warned. The inspectorate’s annual report into the state of health and social care in England states that registered nurses have the highest turnover of any role in the social care sector, with one in three vacancies left unfilled in some areas. In addition, almost a third of nurses working in social care will retire over the next ten years, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said. It is particularly concerned about staff shortages in care homes and says recruitment to these roles should be made a higher priority. One in five care homes inspected by the CQC in 2013/14 did not have adequate staff on duty to ensure residents received good quality care. Inspectors found examples of poor care across the country, including a home in which many residents did not get the help they needed to eat breakfast. ‘Working in adult social care is a tough job, but very rewarding,’ the report states. ‘It is important staff are supported, valued and trained well. Encouraging more nurses to work in the care home sector should be a higher priority.’
Hospital safety
The State of Health Care and Adult Social Care in England report also looked at care in hospitals, with concerns raised about safety standards in four out of five hospitals inspected. Inspections of 82 hospitals during 2013/14 found 65 were rated inadequate or required improvement when it came to safety.
The CQC found widespread evidence of how staff shortages affect the quality of patient care, including call bells going unanswered and increased falls among older patients when staffing levels are low.
Acute shortages
Emergency departments were singled out for having particularly acute nurse shortages, and a shortage of midwives was cited as a ‘frequent’ problem in maternity units. RCN general secretary Peter Carter said variations in the quality of care were unacceptable. ‘It is concerning to see the continued negative effects of a lack of resources,
such as understaffing,’ he said. ‘Wherever nursing care is delivered, whether that is in hospitals, care homes or the community, we need the right number of staff with the right skills and support. ‘The RCN has been warning for years that poor leadership and a lack of funding lead to ineffective organisations and compromised care. ‘This report tells us what we already know – the NHS must improve patient care with strong leadership, safe staffing levels and proper funding.’ To read The State of Health Care and Adult Social Care in England report, go to tinyurl.com/plwf3py
PA
By Kat Keogh
OBE FOR LEADING NURSE RESEARCHER Director of the National Nursing Research Unit at King’s College London Jill Maben received an OBE from Princess Anne during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace last week. Professor Maben, pictured, was recognised for her services to nursing, which include research demonstrating the links between staff wellbeing and patient experience. She has also highlighted how nursing students’
values can become compromised in poor work environments. Professor Maben, who trained at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, said: ‘It was an amazing day.’ She added that when her award was announced in June, she was ‘surprised and pleased’ about the recognition for the work of the unit. She said the Princess Royal had been ‘very well briefed’, asking about a study yet to be published.
NURSING :: vol no 8 ::permission. 2014 9 DownloadedSTANDARD from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 25, 2015. For personal useoctober only. No22 other uses29 without Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
