Editorial

When will the government deliver?

This month’s Emergency Nurse examines one of the most critical issues in heatlh care, that of adequate cover for every emergency department (ED) patient on every shift.

This month’s Emergency Nurse examines one of the most critical issues in heatlh care, that of adequate cover for every emergency department (ED) patient on every shift.

Emergency nursing is demanding especially over the winter months, and so it is difficult for emergency nurses to remain patient with the government when they find they are working with fewer resources than have been recommended to ministers.

As reported here, a Freedom of Information Act request for information about safe staffing levels was rejected by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), only for draft NICE guidelines on minimum emergency nursing levels to be leaked.

The government has downplayed the significance of the guidelines, claiming that NHS Improvement will consider the role of multidisciplinary teams, feedback from the urgent and emergency care vanguard sites, and redirection of patients to alternative services.

Multidisciplinary teams do not provide emergency nursing care; emergency nurses do. Collaboration cannot replace unique skills

However, multidisciplinary teams do not provide emergency nursing care; emergency nurses do.

Collaboration with other disciplines complements emergency nurses’ treatment decisions and care processes, but cannot replace the unique knowledge and skills with which they support injured and seriously ill adults, children and their families.

It is disturbing that the spirit and logic of the leaked NICE evidence has been devalued. As professionals, however, we will do our best to work with management to meet service demands, even though there has been no indication when NHS Improvement will deliver on this project.

In the meantime, emergency nurses are expected to continue to meet the needs of their patients throughout the continuing workforce crisis.

Jobs