Employing more managers will not fix staffing crisis, say nurses
Posted 15 June 2023 - 09:00
‘We need more nurses – end of’, say Nursing Standard readers in response to Institute for Public Policy Research’s staffing suggestion
Hiring more managers will not lighten workloads, more on-the-ground staff are needed instead, nurses have said.
Nurses speak out against suggestion that employing more managers would solve staffing issues
Last week the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) released a report suggesting the NHS workforce crisis could be eased by employing more managers in the health service.
It said health and social care staff would have more time to care for patients if managers could take on more administrative work.
But responding to the suggestion Nursing Standard readers said it was ill-thought through and would not increase their time with patients.
Some suggested it could even add to nurses’ already overwhelming workload because it fails to address the need for ‘hands-on’ staff.
Others said that as nurses reach higher bands they are expected to take on more administrative work as well as their nursing duties.
Managers are crucial to freeing up the time of front-line staff, says IPPR
The IPPR said NHS staff are crying out for a long-term solution to soaring demand, staff sickness and healthcare administration.
Chris Thomas, head of the IPPR’s Commission on Health and Prosperity said: ‘There is no one quick fix to solving the healthcare workforce crisis, but more managers are crucial to freeing up the time of doctors, nurses and other professionals to do the caring.’
Nurses and other healthcare workers are awaiting the publication of the delayed NHS workforce plan, which the government has promised will address these concerns and outline the number of nurses needed in the next decade.
Further information
Finding Hope: The Final Report of the IPPR Health and Care Workforce Assembly
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