E petition to Downing Street and their reply!

Nurseratios - epetition reply

31 October 2007

We received a petition asking:

"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to set statutory minimum nurse: patient ratios in hospital wards."

Details of Petition:

"A growing body of research evidence shows that increases in the number of patients cared for by each nurse leads to increases in hospital-acquired infections, pressure ulcers, malnutritition, dehydration and patient mortality. This also leads to increased levels of stress, demoralisation and "burn-out" among nurses. We therefore feel it is vital to tackle the understaffing of hospital wards. The government should set statutory minimum nurse:patient ratios, with penalties for NHS Trusts that fail to achieve these ratios."

* Read the petition
* Petitions home page

Read the Government's response

The Government believe nurse leaders should have the freedom to determine their own staffing ratios according to local conditions. They are best placed to make decisions based on many complex factors, not the least of which is that healthcare today is a team-based activity, and patients are best served when the staff involved in their care work together to meet their needs.

The Government's view is that imposing minimal levels for nursing staff to patient ratios could be detrimental to patient care. The number of staff at any one time will vary according to skill mix, clinical practice and local factors. Furthermore, the introduction of any minimal level may be seen as being the norm, with NHS Trusts no longer aiming for an optimal level.

Workforce planning is a matter for local determination as local workforce planners are best placed to asses the healthcare needs of their local population. The Department of Health continues to ensure that frameworks are in place to enable effective local workforce planning.

Since 1997, the NHS has seen record levels of investment - from £34.7billion in 1997/98 to over £90billion in 2007/08 to £110billion by 2010/11 - and a period of significant expansion in the workforce. The number of qualified nurses, midwives and health visitors has increased by almost 80,000 to over 398,000 in England. The last few years has seen more nurses working in the NHS than ever before.

This unprecedented growth in the workforce has been the key to driving down waiting times and improving the delivery of treatment and care across the NHS.