Nursing and midwifery crisis
Inadequate recruitment and retention of nursing and midwifery staff due to lack of comprehensive bursary schemes.
246 items
10 sources
4 inquiries
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
Committee recommendation
90match
#3 - Introduce comprehensive bursary scheme for nursing and midwifery students, guaranteeing NHS work.
The Government’s current target of recruiting 50,000 NHS nurses is not having any meaningful impact on the true scale of nursing shortages. The Government must introduce a new bursary scheme comprising full coverage of tuition fees, a non-means- tested grant of at least £1,000, and a means-tested bursary. In addition, nursing and midwifery students who take up this...
Matched on
terms: midwifery, nursing
Inquiry recommendation
73match
F192 - Strong nursing voice
The Department of Health and Nursing and Midwifery Council should introduce the concept of a Responsible Officer for nursing, appointed by and accountable to, the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Matched on
terms: midwifery, nursing
PFD report
69match
Rodney Gates
Critical patient observations were missed due to low numbers of nursing staff, heavy reliance on agency nurses with limited experience, and a lack of essential equipment on the ward.
Matched on
terms: nursing
Committee recommendation
68match
#16 - Thirty-Fifth Report - Introducing Integrated Care Systems
We have been raising concerns about the lack of long-term planning for the NHS workforce since well before the COVID-19 pandemic52. We have noted that among comparable OECD countries the UK has relatively low numbers of nurses and doctors per 1,000 population.53 The Department has repeatedly failed to make good on its commitments to produce a plan to...
Matched on
terms: crisi, midwifery
PFD report
65match
Elizabeth Robinson
Inadequate nursing staff levels and an unreviewed internal investigation meant nurses were unable to deliver safe care, assess patient fall risk correctly, and were unaware of learning opportunities.
Matched on
terms: nursing
Inquiry recommendation
64match
F213 - Training standards for healthcare support workers
Until such time as the Nursing and Midwifery Council is charged with the recommended regulatory responsibilities, the Department of Health should institute a nationwide system to protect patients and care receivers from harm. This system should be supported by fair due process in relation to employees in this grade who have been dismissed by employers on the grounds...
Matched on
terms: midwifery, nursing
Inquiry recommendation
64match
F212 - Training standards for healthcare support workers
The code of conduct, education and training standards and requirements for registration for healthcare support workers should be prepared and maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Council after due consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including the Department of Health, other regulators, professional representative organisations and the public.
Matched on
terms: midwifery, nursing
PFD report
61match
Angela O’Donnell
High reliance on agency nursing staff raises concerns about consistent training and continuity of care. The national shortage of nursing staff contributes to these systemic challenges.
Matched on
terms: nursing
PFD report
61match
Elizabeth Roberts
Persistent, nationally unresolvable staffing shortages within the District Nursing Service continue to impact patient care delivery at a local trust level.
Matched on
terms: nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
60match
202403956 - Lothian NHS Board - Acute Services Division
C’s parent (A) suffered a number of falls during an admission to hospital where A sustained a head injury and subsequently died. C complained to the board that A’s falls risk was not effectively managed. The board identified some failings in relation to A’s falls care, including a lack of personalised falls prevention plan and a lack of...
Matched on
terms: nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
60match
202401362 - Lothian NHS Board - Acute Services Division
C complained about the nursing care provided to their late parent (A) during their admission to hospital. A arrived at the emergency department before being admitted to a ward. While in hospital, A lost weight and had difficulty eating. Due to delirium, A’s mobility was poor and they experienced a number of falls whilst in hospital. This resulted...
Matched on
terms: nursing
Inquiry recommendation
59match
F193 - Standards for appraisal and support
Without introducing a revalidation scheme immediately, the Nursing and Midwifery Council should introduce common minimum standards for appraisal and support with which responsible officers would be obliged to comply. They could be required to report to the Nursing and Midwifery Council on their performance on a regular basis.
Matched on
terms: midwifery, nursing
Inquiry recommendation
57match
F206 - Strengthening the nursing professional voice
The effectiveness of the newly positioned office of Chief Nursing Officer should be kept under review to ensure the maintenance of a recognised leading representative of the nursing profession as a whole, able and empowered to give independent professional advice to the Government on nursing issues of equivalent authority to that provided by the Chief Medical Officer.
Matched on
terms: nursing
Inquiry recommendation
57match
F205 - Strengthening the nursing professional voice
Commissioning arrangements should require the boards of provider organisations to seek and record the advice of its nursing director on the impact on the quality of care and patient safety of any proposed major change to nurse staffing arrangements or provision facilities, and to record whether they accepted or rejected the advice, in the latter case recording its...
Matched on
terms: nursing
Committee recommendation
56match
#8 - Publish clear plan for recruiting additional midwives and obstetricians for safe maternity staffing.
In July 2021, we recommended that NHS England needed an additional 1,932 midwives and 496 obstetricians to operate at a level that Birthrate Plus considered safe. Rather than adding to their headcount, NHS England has lost 552 midwives between March 2021 and March 2022. This indicates a clear problem with midwifery retention. Despite requests to NHS England and...
Matched on
terms: midwifery
LGO / SPSO decision
56match
201104145 - Tayside NHS Board
Mrs C suffered from lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (a disease of the lungs in which the airways become narrowed). She was receiving chemotherapy but after the second cycle her condition deteriorated and she was admitted to hospital, where she died a few days later. Her daughter, Miss C, was concerned that while her mother was...
Matched on
terms: midwifery, nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
56match
202101294 - Fife NHS Board
C complained about the care and treatment provided to their late parent (A) by the board. A had dementia and was experiencing worsening delirium following a urinary tract infection. A was admitted to hospital by an out-of-hours doctor who visited A at home. C's sibling accompanied A in the ambulance but was told that they were unable to...
Matched on
terms: nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
56match
202305480 - Fife NHS Board
C complained about the nursing care provided to their late parent (A) whilst in hospital. They complained about a lack of adherence to infection control, poor staff attitude and breaches of uniform policy. C also complained that A had been issued a zimmer frame without appropriate assessment and guidance, and that staff inappropriately handled A when transferring them...
Matched on
terms: nursing
Inquiry recommendation
55match
F194 - Standards for appraisal and support
As part of a mandatory annual performance appraisal, each Nurse, regardless of workplace setting, should be required to demonstrate in their annual learning portfolio an up-to-date knowledge of nursing practice and its implementation. Alongside developmental requirements, this should contain documented evidence of recognised training undertaken, including wider relevant learning. It should also demonstrate commitment, compassion and caring for...
Matched on
terms: midwifery, nursing
Inquiry recommendation
55match
F189 - Consistent training
The Nursing and Midwifery Council and other professional and academic bodies should work towards a common qualification assessment/examination.
Matched on
terms: midwifery, nursing
Inquiry recommendation
55match
F188 - Aptitude test for compassion and caring
The Nursing and Midwifery Council, working with universities, should consider the introduction of an aptitude test to be undertaken by aspirant registered nurses at entry into the profession, exploring, in particular, candidates' attitudes towards caring, compassion and other necessary professional values.
Matched on
terms: midwifery, nursing
Committee recommendation
55match
#23 - NHS England finally published its long-term workforce plan in June 2023, addressing previous failures.
We have been raising concerns about the lack of long-term planning for the NHS workforce since well before the COVID-19 pandemic, noting in February 2023 that the Department had repeatedly failed to make good on its commitments to publish a plan to address the issue and that that many areas of the NHS workforce appeared to be in...
Matched on
terms: crisi
PFD report
53match
Wendy Telfer
Inadequate training for physical healthcare staff on mental health needs and Mental Health Act application is a concern. A severe national shortage of psychiatric beds also caused critical delays in patient transfer, contributing to preventable deaths.
Matched on
classifier match
PFD report
53match
Charlotte Warkcup
Concerns exist regarding the safety of standalone midwife-led birthing centres, the lack of midwife recruitment for continuity of care, and insufficient detection of small gestational age babies.
Matched on
classifier match
PFD report
53match
John Seagrove, Pauline Humphris and Patricia Steggles
Chronic and worsening ambulance handover delays at emergency departments are severely impacting response times and leading to staff burnout and recruitment difficulties.
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
53match
#29 - Set out specific measures to reduce burnout and improve pay for CMHS staff.
Staff retention is important for continuity of care for people with SMI. As part of the forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan, the Government should set out specific measures to reduce burnout, including action on caseload management and access to supervision; improve pay and progression opportunities for CMHS staff, including those in the VCFSE sector delivering equivalent roles; and...
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
52match
#13 - Forty-Fourth Report - NHS backlogs and waiting times in England
This Committee’s September 2020 report, NHS nursing workforce, concluded that there was a risk that the NHS was focusing on short-term pressures at the expense of the 23 C&AG’s Report, page 30 24 Qq 69, 75 25 NHS0043 NHS Providers submission para 3a 26 NHS0022 British Medical Association submission para 3.7 27 Q103 28 NHS0010 University of Manchester...
Matched on
terms: nursing
Committee recommendation
52match
#2 - Thirty-Fifth Report - Introducing Integrated Care Systems
We remain very concerned about the critical shortages across the NHS workforce and the Department’s repeated delays in publishing a strategy to address them. Workforce shortages are widespread across the NHS, and particularly acute in some specialisms, for example midwifery. This can result in unsafe care for patients. This is a long-standing issue which pre-dates the pandemic and...
Matched on
terms: midwifery
Inquiry recommendation
52match
F204 - Strengthening the nursing professional voice
All healthcare providers and commissioning organisations should be required to have at least one executive director who is a registered nurse, and should be encouraged to consider recruiting nurses as non-executive directors.
Matched on
terms: nursing
Inquiry recommendation
52match
F203 - Strengthening the nursing professional voice
A forum for all directors of nursing from both NHS and independent sector organisations should be formed to provide a means of coordinating the leadership of the nursing profession.
Matched on
terms: nursing
Inquiry recommendation
52match
F202 - Strengthening the nursing professional voice
Recognition of the importance of nursing representation at provider level should be given by ensuring that adequate time is allowed for staff to undertake this role, and employers and unions must regularly review the adequacy of the arrangements in this regard.
Matched on
terms: nursing
Inquiry recommendation
52match
F201 - Strengthening the nursing professional voice
The Royal College of Nursing should consider whether it should formally divide its "Royal College" functions and its employee representative/trade union functions between two bodies rather than behind internal "Chinese walls".
Matched on
terms: nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
52match
201303065 - Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board - Acute Services Division
Ms C, who is an advice worker, complained on behalf of her client, Ms B. Ms B's late fiancé (Mr A) had died a few days after being admitted to Glasgow Royal Infirmary with severe jaundice. Ms B had told Ms C that the board provided inadequate nursing care, and that hospital staff failed to communicate adequately with...
Matched on
terms: nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
52match
201406562 - Grampian NHS Board
Mr C complained about the care provided to his late father (Mr A) at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Mr A was blind, elderly and frail. He had cancer. Early in 2014 he had had many emergency admissions to hospital and in May 2014 he was admitted again. During his stay he experienced two heart attacks and was noticed to...
Matched on
terms: nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
52match
201403869 - Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board - Acute Services Division
Miss C's father (Mr A) was admitted to Glasgow Royal Infirmary from another hospital where he had been admitted earlier following a fall at home. Mr A was admitted to A&E and then moved to a ward. Mr A died several days after his admission. Miss C was concerned that many mistakes and problems had occurred during Mr...
Matched on
terms: nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
52match
201508844 - Lothian NHS Board
Mr C complained about the medical and dental care and treatment he received from the prison health centre. He suffered from severe pain, particularly head and face pain, due to historic injuries and he raised concerns that adequate pain relief was not provided to him and that nursing staff regularly refused his requests to see a doctor. He...
Matched on
terms: nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
52match
201508619 - Lothian NHS Board
Mrs C complained to us about the medical care and treatment provided to her late father (Mr A) at the Western General Hospital before his death. Mr A had previously been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis associated interstitial lung disease (a group of disorders characterized by inflammation and scarring of the lung tissue). He was admitted to hospital and...
Matched on
terms: nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
52match
201600669 - Forth Valley NHS Board
Ms C, who works for an advocacy and support agency, complained on behalf of Mr B regarding the care and treatment provided to Mr B's father (Mr A) during his admission to Forth Valley Royal Hospital. Ms C complained that Mr A's falls risk was not appropriately assessed on two different wards, that the nursing care provided to...
Matched on
terms: nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
52match
201800220 - Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board - Acute Services Division
Ms C, who works for an advocacy and support agency, complained on behalf of her client (Ms B) about the care and treatment provided to Ms B's daughter (Ms A) at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Ms A was admitted to the hospital on two occasions due to complications from her gastric band (a band placed around the stomach to...
Matched on
terms: nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
52match
201707447 - Lanarkshire NHS Board
Mr C complained about the nursing care and treatment his father (Mr A), who had dementia, received when he was admitted to University Hospital Monklands. He also complained that Mr A had been unfit for discharge on the day of his planned discharge. In addition, Mr C complained about the level of communication with Mr A's family from...
Matched on
terms: nursing
LGO / SPSO decision
52match
202404349 - Highland NHS Board
C complained about the care and treatment provided to their late parent (A). A was admitted to hospital due to a nose bleed that would not stop. During admission, A used a hospital trolley to cross the ward to the toilet. A jug of water spilt from the trolley and A fell, sustaining a fractured shoulder and a...
Matched on
terms: nursing
PFD report
49match
Harrison Hassall
Midwives are potentially deployed to community roles too soon after qualifying, lacking adequate experience, which is a concern for patient safety across the nation.
Matched on
classifier match
PFD report
49match
Margaret Kinsey
Inadequate senior medical supervision for junior doctors in the Emergency Department, particularly at night, and inconsistent documentation of clinical discussions pose significant risks to patient care.
Matched on
classifier match
PFD report
49match
Arthur Trott
Inadequate JRCALC guidance on footling breech presentation led to an inappropriate home delivery attempt and delayed hospital transfer. There is also a critical shortage of consultant midwives providing obstetric support across ambulance services.
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classifier match
PFD report
49match
Luca Yates
Planned reductions in paediatric specialist training time in Level 3 Neonatal units risk future middle-grade and consultant general paediatricians having inadequate practical experience in neonatal resuscitation.
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classifier match
Committee recommendation
49match
#10 - Maternity workforce shortages remain a significant barrier to safe care provision.
Workforce shortages remain a major barrier to safe maternity care, despite recent recruitment progress. We are disappointed the Government suspended its continuity of carer target, which is especially important for marginalised women, including Black women, who face greater challenges in being heard by the healthcare system. (Conclusion, Paragraph 62)
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
48match
#2 - Third Report - Black maternal health
Continuity of carer is a cornerstone of the Government and NHS commitment to deliver safer maternity services for all women. It is simply not possible to implement it safely, however, due to the considerable staffing shortages across maternity services. A fully staffed, properly funded maternity services workforce is fundamental to delivering safe, personalised care to pregnant women and...
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
48match
#24 - NHS Long Term Workforce Plan addresses projected shortfall of up to 360,000 staff.
In the workforce plan, NHS England estimates that over a 15-year period, without action, there would be a shortfall of 260,000 to 360,000 staff by 2036–37. NHS England explained that, because it takes time to train people and that they would be completing training over the course of the 15 years, the plan also includes a commitment to...
Matched on
classifier match
IMB recommendation
48match
Brook House (2020)
Keep staff recruitment and retention as a priority.
Matched on
classifier match
IMB recommendation
48match
Berwyn (2020)
Overnight nursing cover
Matched on
terms: nursing