Nurses forced to put paperwork first

Carers now spend more time filling in forms than with their patients in the community, says NHS chief

District nurses now spend more time completing admin tasks than caring for the elderly and infirm, the head of the NHS has said. Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said the nurses were more likely to be found in front of a computer than out in the community. Addressing a conference of NHS managers, he quoted research showing that community clinicians spend an average of 88 days a year doing administration, compared to 87 having direct contact with patients.

DISTRICT nurses now spend more time completing admin tasks than caring for the elderly and infirm, the head of the NHS has said.

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said nurses trained to look after patients in their homes are more likely to be found in front of a computer than out in the community.

Addressing a conference of NHS managers, he quoted research showing that community clinicians now spend an average of 88 days a year undertaking administration, compared to 87 having direct contact with patients.

Community or district nurses perform duties from administering medicines to wound care and continence management. They are considered crucial if health chiefs are to realise their goal of treating fewer patients unnecessarily in acute hospitals.

Mr Stevens said the health service had to radically rethink the way it cares for patients outside hospital. He also suggested that frustration at the admin burden is prompting staff to leave the profession.

The challenge came as he said other public services were “jealous” of the £20billion NHS five-year funding increased promised by Theresa May.

“Frankly this is a nice problem to have,” said Mr Stevens. “If you are from the police service or a head teacher or from local authorities, you are looking on with some jealousy at the funding the national health service now has on offer over the next five years.” However, he warned managers to avoid the trap of spending the extra money without improving efficiency.

“We’ve got to think fundamentally about how our care is delivered and how our teams of front line staff work,” said Mr Stevens. “Nowhere is that more apparent than in the role of community health services.”

The statistics emerged from research for NHS Improvement by Lord Carter of Coles, published in May. The report also detailed high levels of bullying and harassment among staff.

Mr Stevens said tackling “severe workforce questions” was imperative for improving patient care. “Part of that is making coming to work less frustrating for our front line staff,” he said, adding: “That is a massive efficiency opportunity.”

The £20 billion package represents a 3.4 per cent-a-year increase for five years. The commitment forms part of a new 10-year plan on the direction the health service, details of which are expected to be published before Christmas.

The funding announcement provoked controversy at the time, as the Government promised it would be funded in part by a “Brexit dividend”. However ministers have since suggested the uplift will require tax rises such as a raid on pension pots.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital and community trust leaders, said the £20billion would “barely” improve performance to the level expected by patients.

“The increases in demand we are seeing for treatment, year on year, have coincided with the longest and deepest spending squeeze in the history of the NHS, exacerbated by cuts to wider public services notably in public health and social care,” he said.