Nurses needed for safe staffing survey

Nurses are being urged to record the registered nurse-to-patient ratios on their wards on a single day to see if safe staffing levels are in place.

Unison wants nurses, nursing students, midwives and healthcare assistants in the UK to collect the information from their shifts on February 9.

The union’s head of nursing Gail Adams said last year’s survey shows there are not enough staff to deliver ‘all elements of safe, dignified and compassionate care’. 

She said Unison wants to see what effect the decision to suspend work by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on safe staffing has had on nurse-to-patient ratios.

The union has created guidance for nurses to print and use to record the information on staffing levels.

The data can then be entered into an online survey, which is open to Unison members and non-members and must be completed by 9am on February 15.

For guidance on how to take part in the survey click here 

To complete the survey, from February 9, click here