Staffing the wards is by far the largest single budget item for an acute trust and the quality of care that is delivered has a major impact on health outcomes.
Ward staffing rather than 'nursing' is reviewed as this reflects the much larger contribution to patient care of non-registered staff. These include healthcare assistants and clinical support workers who have replaced student nurses who are now largely supernumerary.
The Audit Commission collected data from almost all trusts in England and Wales in 2000. This review uses those data to answer three questions:
- How much do trusts spend on ward staffing and how can differences be explained?
- Is there any evidence that resources can be used more efficiently and effectively in the delivery of patient care?
- Does the level of resources relate to clinical risk or the quality of the care delivered?