The RCN recently warned that the economic downturn could be the greatest threat to nursing and patient care in living memory, following the publication of a report of a roundtable discussion attended by health policy experts.
The roundtable on “Nursing and the economic downturn” looked into the likely “aftershocks” of the recession on public finances, with previous recessions featuring a sharp decline in public spending following the end of the recession itself. The roundtable participants warned that during the “aftershock” period demand for health services is likely to increase, while the supply of skilled staff could be compromised by severe financial constraints in the NHS. The roundtable felt that with innovation, flexibility and nurse-led services, nurses could play a key role in improving care in the NHS. The report detailed the five key issues that jeopardised patient care following previous downturns, including unfilled vacancies, reduced training and public health budgets, “slash and burn” job cuts and low staff morale. It included recommendations from the RCN showing how nurses and policymakers can reduce the risk of history repeating. Dr Peter Carter of the Royal College of Nursing said: “While it is good news that there are now signs suggesting that the economy is slowly starting to recover, it is vital that healthcare workers are not left out in the cold as has happened in the past. The NHS has made excellent progress in recent years – it would be devastating for these gains to be lost. “Nurses can and should lead the way in introducing innovations to help improve patient care and to make the NHS as effective as possible. As we approach the next general election it is important that all political parties realise the impact these decisions could have on the 1.3 million people working for the NHS.” The RCN urged nurses to think carefully about their role in reducing pressure arising from the downturn; to be flexible about the way they work, and to consider taking on new roles in varied settings, with an emphasis on out-ofhospital settings where a recruitment crisis is looming.
