RCN CONGRESS LATEST: Survey highlights nurse shortages

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Almost half of all specialist nurses are working outside their area of expertise to cover for staff shortages, according to an RCN survey.

Of the 300 nurses who responded to the survey, 68% said their workload had increased but a third of all respondents said posts were frozen within their organisation.

Moreover, 20% said their were under threat of redundancy.

Peter Carter, RCN general secretary, said: 'It beggars belief that despite the NHS being on track to register a £1.8bn surplus.

'These are the very nurses who will be at the centre of the government's plan to deliver care closer to the home and yet these are the same nurses being treated as soft targets.'