Staff shortages affecting end of life care

Almost two thirds of nurses say staffing shortages are the main barrier to providing good care to dying patients, according to a new survey.

The annual Nursing Standard and Marie Curie survey was answered by 5,346 nurses and other caring staff who revealed the devastating impact too few nurses are having on end of life care across the UK.

In 2018 only 38 per cent told the same survey staffing was the biggest barrier in providing care for people approaching the end of life, with that figure jumping to 65 per cent this year. At the same time, the proportion reporting time constraints also showed a big jump this year, with 57 per cent saying it was a major barrier, compared to 25 per cent the previous year.

Additionally, 33 per cent reported not sufficiently supported at work to manage grief and emotional stress. More than half said they found accessing support systems to help them manage feelings of grief and emotional stress either difficult or they were unable to do so.

Julie Pearce, Marie Curie executive director of Nursing, Allied Health Professionals and Quality says: “The results show that in the NHS and the caring sector, staff are doing their best to do the right thing for patients, but are feeling hard pressed. There seems to be more fragmentation in services, which affects the vital continuity of care for patients and their families during a very significant part of their journey through life and death. There is only one opportunity to get end of life care right for people and when it doesn’t go well it can affect a family for many years.

“The emotional burden of care should not be under-estimated and requires active support by employers in supporting the health and wellbeing of its staff. To enable staff to care for patients and their families in a compassionate way, organisations really need to invest in the health and wellbeing of staff and the type of support they offer. This is a key area for us as at Marie Curie.”