A new poll reveals a deepening staffing crisis within the NHS, jeopardising patient safety, particularly in maternity and rehabilitation wards.
A Unison survey of nurses, healthcare assistants, and midwives found that a staggering 69 per cent of shifts were understaffed, a marked increase from 63 per cent just two years ago.
The survey, conducted across 42 hospitals in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, paints a stark picture of the strain on frontline staff.
Workers anonymously reported their experiences after their shifts in October and November of last year, totaling 1,470 shifts surveyed.
Alarmingly, 81 per cent of respondents working in maternity and rehabilitation units, and 82 per cent in elderly care, expressed serious safety concerns due to inadequate staffing levels.
The findings highlight a worrying trend of “red flag” events, indicating serious safety risks, occurring on over half (56 per cent) of all shifts.
These incidents were even more prevalent on shifts already grappling with understaffing. Among the reported issues were unacceptable delays of more than 30 minutes in administering pain relief to patients.
About three in five workers (64 per cent) reported staffing gaps to their NHS trust, with only one in five of those doing so saying they received a satisfactory response.
For those staff who did not report concerns, more than half (54 per cent) said it was because they were not confident their employer would take action.
Unison national nursing officer Stuart Tuckwood said: “These figures show staffing levels across the health service are alarmingly low on a regular basis.
“Nursing staff are often unable to provide vital care or administer pain relief to their patients on time.
“Workers are desperate for help from their employers, but there’s little action when they report their concerns.
“These figures should be a wake-up call for health service leaders given the state of NHS finances and talk of cuts. Urgent investment is needed in hospital staffing to ensure patients are kept safe.”
