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NHS watchdog warns over nurse-patient ratios

The organisation which sets NHS standards - National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) - has said that nurses in hospitals should not have to look after more than eight patients each at any one time.

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Chief nursing officer: Each hospital ward is different

Welcoming the consultation from Nice that proposes nurses should care for a maximum of eight patients at any one time, NHS England's Chief Nursing Officer said a "sophisticated approach" was needed in hospitals.

Each ward in each hospital around the country is different in size, number of patients, the type of patients and their needs.

It needs a sophisticated approach, using hard evidence and local professional judgement to determine what staffing is right to provide the best care for patients in every setting.

These Nice guidelines are a fundamental part of this sophisticated approach and I look forward to feedback from the public consultation.

– Jane Cummings, NHS England's Chief Nursing Officer

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