Nurses want more time to care

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The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) called for nurses to be given more time, resources and support from above to ensure every patient is treated with dignity.

Nurses said they were trying to overcome obstacles to providing good quality care, including pressure on beds, staff shortages, a target-led culture and carrying out non-essential paperwork.

The issue of offering patients - particularly the elderly - dignified care has hit the headlines over the last year.

Charities have raised concerns over issues of confidentiality, privacy and help with eating and drinking.

Last August, the Joint Committee on Human Rights condemned the "shameful" treatment of elderly people in hospitals and care homes.

And, in September, several NHS trusts were warned over failures to ensure older people are treated with dignity.

The Healthcare Commission inspected 23 trusts who all said they complied with national standards on providing good quality care in hospital. But checks revealed that some were falling short in areas like nutrition and ensuring privacy.

The watchdog found examples of no locks on washing rooms or toilets or not enough curtains. Too many patients were also placed on mixed-sex wards, especially when demand for beds was high, its report said.

The poll, released on the eve of the RCN conference in Bournemouth, found that 81% of nurses have left work feeling upset or distressed because they were unable to ensure patients were treated with dignity.