57% of nurses feel staffing levels 'dangerously' low

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.

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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