RCN briefings
Policy briefings, parliamentary briefings and consultation responses on the issues that matter to nursing staff
The RCN works with government, think tanks and other stakeholders to ensure the voice of nursing is heard. You can get involved in policy development by taking part in surveys, workshops, seminars and briefings.
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17 Mar 2011
Price and competition in health care in England
Price competition in the NHS in England is controversial and this briefing providers an overview of some of the evidence from the English NHS and discusses price competition as part of the broader framework of funding and financing.
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23 Dec 2010
Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs)
This briefing provides an over-view of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs); the rationale for their use, examples of where they are currently being used in the English NHS, and their likely future use in the health care system.
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9 Dec 2010
GUIDANCE: Safe Nurse Staffing Levels in the UK
Staffing levels have always been an issue. “What is the optimal level and mix of nurses required to deliver quality care as cost-effectively as possible?” is a perennial question. This report sets out the range of different factors that influence the total demand for staff and highlights the variety of methods for planning or reviewing staffing levels.
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9 Dec 2010
POLICY POSITION: Evidence-based Nurse Staffing Levels
This Policy Position accompanies the RCN report ‘Guidance on safe nurse staffing levels in the UK’, which sets out the range of different factors that influence the total demand for staff and highlights the variety of methods for planning or reviewing staffing levels.
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26 Jul 2010
NHS White Paper
This is the factual briefing of the key themes in the NHS White Paper.
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1 Jul 2010
An independent NHS board: What will it mean for nursing and nurses
Proposed in the Conservative Party’s 2007 White paper on health 'NHS Autonomy and Accountability', on the 20th May 2010 the Coalition Government announced its intention to “establish an independent NHS board to allocate resources and provide commissioning guidelines”. Details of the independent board’s composition, scope and role are expected in the Government’s forthcoming health White Paper this summer. In the absence of specific details about the independent board at this stage, the Conservatives’ 2007 health white paper is the best indication of the board’s future design and scope. Using the Conservative’s vision for the independent board as a basis, this paper seeks to begin a discussion on what an independent board will mean for Nursing and nurses. It will consider what are the important questions and issues likely to arise from its creation, and discuss what the Government should consider when developing and implementing its decision.
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27 Apr 2010
New Foundations: the future of NHS trust providers
In February 2010 the Royal College of Nursing surveyed members in England working in NHS foundation trusts. The aim was to build a snapshot picture of our members’ opinions about their trusts to help us understand how foundation trusts are performing in the following areas: engaging with patients, local communities and staff to design services and shape strategy: using their greater independence; and helping nurses to deliver the highest quality of care. This briefing contains the results of this survey.
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27 Apr 2010
Review of Early Warning Systems in the NHS
The National Quality Board in England has produced a report which sets out the Early Warning System in the NHS in England. This briefing provides an overview of the system.
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26 Apr 2010
Competition in the NHS in England
This policy briefing provides an update on key Department of Health guidance which affects competition in the NHS in England.
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26 Apr 2010
Care homes under pressure
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) care homes survey 2010 was undertaken to get a snapshot view of the current situation in England’s care homes sector, specifically focusing on capacity, workforce, meeting resident’s needs and quality of care. We surveyed registered nurses and health care assistants. Results show that complex care needs of residents are increasing. The staffing levels in these homes are unable to respond efficiently to meet resident needs. This policy report outlines the results of the RCN 2010 care homes survey and identifies policy responses on improving care outcomes.
