Government to tackle nursing care problems
Friday 6 January 2012
In response to a raft of troubling reports regarding the quality of care in the NHS, David Cameron has today (Friday 6 January) unveiled a range of measures to tackle what he refers to as the ‘care problem’. His proposals include the need for nurses to take time to care and to carry out hourly ward rounds to check on patients; bonus payments for areas that do well on four key measures (pressure sores, falls, blood clots and hospital infections); new patient-led inspection teams; and the setting up of a new Nursing Quality Forum. The Royal College of Nursing welcomed the initiatives and pointed out that they rely on having ‘enough nurses to carry them out’.
Government initiatives that contribute to improvements in the quality of care for patients, when they are at their most vulnerable, are to be welcomed. The initiatives need, however, to engage with the reality of current healthcare and nursing practice. Research conducted by University of Surrey academics – Drs Ann Gallagher, Helen Allan and Professor Sara Faithfull (RCN Report Gallagher et al 2008, GNC report Allan et al 2008) - has demonstrated that targets and a lack of resources compromise dignifying care. Nurses have reported that they are distressed when resources are inadequate because they are unable to deliver the quality of care they know they should.
Responses to care challenges require collaborative and creative responses from hospitals, universities, patients’ organisations and government. The close relationship between the School of Health and Social Care at the University of Surrey and NHS partners contributes to innovative values-based undergraduate and continuing educational programmes. University and NHS partners are committed to, and work together with service users, to promote the values of dignity, care and compassion in education and practice. The focus of much of our research is also on understanding the factors that enable and sustain ethical healthcare practice - factors that include leadership, resources, education and appropriate measures.
It is important also that the targets and key measures identified are directed toward ethical outcomes. The four measures prioritised are important but will not directly address the patient experience of dignity in care. Government attention should also be directed towards ensuring adequate numbers of registered nurses on the wards and measures and rewards that focus on the promotion of dignity in care. Adequate investment in, and dissemination of, innovative and collaborative education, practice and research initiatives that improve the patient experience is key. This would then demonstrate a serious, ethical and productive engagement with the ‘problem of care’.
Media Enquiries
Peter La, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: +44 (0)1483 689191, or Email mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk