Cuts compromising patient care, say NHS nurses

Funding cuts are compromising patient care, NHS nurses have said.

A survey by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) found that nine out of ten think that a shortage of staff as a result of cutbacks frequently leads to situations in which patients are not receiving the best care.

Some 30 per cent of the 287 nurses who responded to the poll claimed that such situations happen on most shifts.

Dr Peter Carter, general secretary of the RCN, warned the situation could get worse as the NHS seeks to make efficiency savings of £20 billion by 2014.

"Despite assurances that the NHS budget will be protected, the reality is that trusts are making deep and dangerous cuts to staff numbers now, with further cuts planned for the future," he said.

Mr Carter expressed his belief that it is possible to make cuts without affecting frontline care and urged whoever wins the upcoming general election to work with the RCN to achieve this.

Another recent RCN poll found that more than 90 per cent of the public are unaware of the level of savings the NHS has been required to make over the next three years.

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