Staffing levels on hospital wards across England are unsafe and could put patient’s lives at risk, a group of senior nurses has warned. Wards across the country often have just one registered nurse looking after eight patients, The Safe Staffing Alliance (SSA) has said. There is a worry that this ratio could be regarded as the minimum acceptable of staffing when it in fact puts patients at risk, warned the alliance which was formed last summer. The SSA says research shows that when nurses are asked to look after more than eight patients there is an increased in risk of harm or death. The warning comes as a poll for the Sunday Mirror and the Nursing Standard journal found that more than three quarters of nurses believe a scandal similar to that in Mid-Staffordshire could happen again. In the poll of 2,000 nurses, 40% said on their last shift there were not enough staff to provide a safe level of care.

Pray: for the NHS to take such warning seriously and that all parties will work together to ensure high quality patient safety and care. (Col.3:23)

More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10051983/Hospital-staffing-levels-unsafe-senior-nurses-warn.html