NHS hospitals to publish 'safe' staffing levels

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt proposes that hospitals will be forced to publish the number of staff working on their wards each month.

18:02 19 November 2013

The government is taking the Stafford Hospital scandal very seriously and is responding with more NHS reforms to remedy the reputation of British healthcare. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt  is set announce that the government will force the hospitals to publish the number of staff working their wards each month to ensure that Mid Staffordshire scandal will not happen again.

This change is expected to take effect on April.

Hunt is also expected to propose a minimum staffing level for wards according to the size of the ward, age profile, acuteness of patient illness, and other factors. He will also say that the hospitals will be required to publish the percentage of its shifts that meet these safe staffing guidelines.

In addition, Mr Hunt is expected to announce a barring system for managers. Ineffectual managers including failed doctors will be kept from moving from job to job within the NHS.

Lastly, the government will introduce a criminal offence for NHS staff who supply or publish misleading or false information. This is to avoid future cover-ups of poor care.