NHS Reform, impact efficiency savings have on frontline nurses and quality of care.

Feb. 9, 2011 - PRLog -- The coalition government is proposing a total of £1.7bn in efficiency savings every year following plans to modernise the NHS. Unfortunately in order to make such savings Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary, has proposed jobs throughout the NHS will have to be cut which has created concern among frontline nurses due to the repercussions this could have on themselves, patients safety and quality of care.

The RCN warns that a total of 27,000 jobs within the NHS have been marked to be cut. This follows on from a study where fewer than 1 in 10 nurses feel they have the right number of staff to deliver good quality care to patients. The online study of more than 1,900 nurses, asked respondents about staffing levels in their workplace. The results show the mounting pressure on NHS frontline staff with respondents pointing to unfilled vacancies, recruitment freezes and the feeling that patient safety could be compromised. One band 5 nurse also stated that:-
“staffing levels have never been so poor, we have fewer staff doing more work .”

Uncertainty within the national health service is also likely to have damaging effects on quality of care. Nurses are either facing uncertainty due to job cuts or uncertainties in their employment contract. As the NHS goes through its biggest change in its history many employees are left wondering where it will leave them and, according to research, with private firms playing a bigger role in the NHS, who their employer will be.

In contrast to what has been discovered, the White Paper, which outlines the foundation for fundamental changes in the way the NHS is structured, actually draws attention to, and plans to, empower patients in choosing and deciding on their own care pathways. The proposal also plans to remove bureaucratic targets and replace them with targets that matter to patients. Coincidently those targets involve maintaining a high level of patient safety and quality of care.

To conclude it would worryingly appear that the government and frontline nurses are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to detailing the effects the reform will have on patient safety and quality of care. Fortunately it is reassuring to know that products like Aderma, an effective pressure ulcer prevention device, which has also been proven to potentially save the NHS £1.7bn, put patients at the core of everything they do. Also, Aderma doesn't require for jobs to be cut or drastic changes to be made but does ensure patient safety and quality of care is kept to a maximum and also prides itself on educating its audience.

For more information on Aderma visit www.aderma.info