NHS Patients Not Getting Dignity

NHS patients not getting dignity they deserve, nurses say

The vast majority of NHS nurses have left work feeling upset or distressed because they have not been able to ensure their patients have been treated with dignity.

At least eight out of ten nurses (86%) surveyed by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said they would like to make dignity a higher priority as part of their daily routine. However, nearly two-thirds (65%) said they sometimes or never have enough time to make sure patients receive they kind of care they would like.

The RCN said the survey showed that nurses want dignity to be given a higher priority in the workplace, but they face significant obstacles to delivering the kind of care they would like.

The survey asked 2,000 nurses from across the UK working in a range of healthcare settings for their views on dignity in their workplace.

Eight one per cent of nurses said they sometimes or always leave their workplace feeling distressed or upset because they have not been able to give patients the kind of dignified care that they should.

Dr Peter Carter, chief executive & general secretary of the RCN, said that dignity should not be an "after thought" or an "optional extra".

"This survey shows that nurses desperately want to give patients the high quality personalised and dignified care they deserve but many simply do not have the time and resources to do so," he said. "As well as making sure there are enough staff on shift, nurses need to have access to specialist equipment, such as hoists, to make sure they can lift patients in a dignified manner."

The Health Insurance Magazine 30 April 2008