The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned of the risk of patients being forced into hospital due to short-sighted cuts to specialist nursing services. An RCN survey identified that Trusts are cutting specialist nursing care for sufferers of conditions such as cancer, diabetes and multiple sclerosis.
It has called for Trusts to heed “compelling evidence” of savings as high as £23 for every pound spent, and invest in nurse-led schemes that keep people out of hospital, save money and improve patient care. An RCN survey of almost 800 specialist nurses revealed that nearly 62% are seeing cutbacks in their specialist area and more than 38% are being asked to work outside their specialist area to cover staff shortages. Almost 80% of respondents reported that financial pressures within their Trust are having a negative impact on patient care and more than 11% stated that they are now at risk of redundancy. The RCN has also called for an alternative to these short-term measures and for investment in innovative nurse-led schemes.
