November 2020
RCN calls on government to ensure safe staffing levels for nurses this winter
The RCN has called on the government to ensure nurses can work safely this winter amid grave concerns about staffing shortages. Gaps in the workforce were putting enormous strain on nursing teams and placing intolerable pressure on senior nursing leaders as the NHS faces the twin challenges of winter and COVID-19, the RCN said. The college also warned that nurses could burn out and patient safety could be compromised if local staffing plans failed to consider the numbers of registered nurses available to deliver safe care.