NHS reaching crisis point, survey suggests
By politics.co.uk staff
The number of patients being treated by nurses has shot up just as staff numbers fall, a new survey suggests.
The survey, conducted by health union Unison to coincide with ‘Nurses’ Day’, paints a bleak picture of life in the NHS as concerns over the government’s proposed healthcare reforms grow.
“The results of this damning survey are both sad and shocking,” said Gail Adams, Unison head of nursing.
“Nurses and midwives see first hand the damage that the government’s cuts are inflicting on patient care, so it is perhaps not surprising that 65% say they have considered leaving the NHS.
“However, nurses are clearly angry at the impact on patients, with 57% saying they would be prepared to take industrial action if patient care is compromised.”
The survey, of more than 2,000 nurses and midwives, saw three-quarters of nursing staff say the number of patients they have treated has gone up, at the same time as 60% reported a drop in staff numbers.
Sixty-four per cent of respondents said safety and patient care and 78% said their employer was making cuts, with over a third reporting redundancies.
Only a quarter of those surveyed said they would recommend nursing as a profession.
The results come a day after David Cameron demanded that Ed Miliband apologise for saying that waiting times have risen since the coalition came to power.
