57% of nurses believe wards are 'dangerously understaffed'

The Government has tried to distance itself from claims NHS wards are "dangerously understaffed".

A Department of Health spokesman said more nurses were now working in the the acute, general and elderly category.

At least 33% of nurses feel the safety on the ward has decreased in the last 12 months, despite promised from Government to improve patient security.

According to a snapshot report from the Nursing Times magazine:

• 48% of nurses felt there had been "no change" in patient safety since the Francis Report into mid-Staffs was published.
• Two-thirds - 65% -said they had witnessed "poor care" in their ward or unit over recent months - a drop from 76% in last year's survey.

• Meanwhile, 42% of nurses thought the Francis report would improve things in the long term for the NHS and nursing.
• 28% said it would make no difference.
• 24% felt it had led to unfair criticism of the profession and the NHS.

Read: Key recommendations of the Francis report to be implemented

Over half of working nurses think their wards are "dangerously unsafe" because of low staffing levels all or some of the time, according to a snapshot survey.

Read: Nurses 'financially struggling'

The poll carried out for the Nursing Times magazine found 57% of the 526 nurses questioned believed their ward was dangerous for patients because there were too few staff.

A further 39% of nurses said staffing levels had worsened where they work over the last 12 months.

The findings come a year of the Francis Report into the failings at Stafford Hospital was published, after hundreds of people died needlessly due to neglect.

One nurse told the magazine: "Although my organisation has been recruiting more nursing staff they have been inexperienced and have had to be supervised, so in some cases have made matters harder."

Read: NHS patient safety pledge