What you can do
If a patient, relative or carer spots something that suggests there are not enough nursing staff on a ward, they should report it to the nurse in charge of the ward at the time.
The box in Checking there are enough nursing staff available on the day or night gives information about signs that there might not be enough nursing staff available to give patients the nursing care they need.
You might be asked to give feedback about your experience of being in hospital. Your opinion and comments, good or bad, will help the hospital work out how well they are doing and make changes if needed.
If you have concerns about the care you received in hospital, you can talk to the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). Most hospitals have a PALS office. There is information about PALS and how to make a complaint on NHS Choices.
NICE is not responsible for the quality or accuracy of information provided by other organisations.
ISBN: 978-1-4731-0647-5