Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Royal College of Nursing Nursing Under Unsustainable Pressures: Staffing for Safe and Effective Care in the UK, published on 6 June; and what steps they intend to take in response to the findings in that report that (1) 83 per cent of respondents reported there were not enough nursing staff on their last shift to meet all patient needs safely and effectively, and (2) only 25 per cent of shifts had the planned number of registered nurses.

The Government welcomes the publication of the Royal College of Nursing’s report and shares its aim of a well-supported nursing workforce. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, the Care Quality Commission ensures that providers comply with Regulation 18 on suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who receive effective support, supervision and development and effectively deliver safe care which meets patients’ individual needs.

The Government has also committed to deliver 50,000 more nurses and ensure the National Health Service can access a sustainable long-term workforce supply. We are currently on schedule to meet this commitment, with 30,000 additional nurses in March 2022 compared to September 2019.