Death rates rise when NHS cuts back on nursing

Hospitals which have cut registered nurses or replaced them with lower-paid staff have seen a surge in death rates, a major study has revealed.
The research, which analysed staffing at 122 NHS trusts over four years, revealed dangerous variations.

Nicola Ranger, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said it proved degree-educated registered nurses were essential to patients’ safety and she called for NHS England to investigate trusts where deaths had risen. She demanded the government boost nurses’ pay and career progression, warning “the clock is ticking” for ministers to act.

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Source: The Times, 20 December 2025