Nurses face discrimination, abuse and violence at work
Nursing staff working in England's NHS face a tide of racism, abuse and bullying while an overstretched, under-resourced, underpaid workforce is causing many to work hours without pay and others to work while unwell.
The RCN says the latest NHS Staff Survey findings provide an urgent reality check for government ministers, and lay bare the impact of workforce shortages.
The survey shows 35% have experienced bullying, harassment or abuse at work.
Additionally, 14% of nursing and midwifery staff have faced discrimination at work from patients, their relatives or other members of the public in the last 12 months, with 66% citing discrimination on the grounds of their ethnic background.
‘It is disturbing and saddening to see the levels of bullying, abuse, and discrimination aimed at staff as they care for patients. This should send shockwaves through the NHS, government, and society. Racism must be unacceptable in our health care system, and employers and government must take a strong stance on stamping this out,’ said Executive Director of RCN England Patricia Marquis.
‘When a predominantly female workforce experiences such shocking levels of attacks, it's vital that along with zero tolerance to those who perpetrate this, we must look at what sits behind it. The Government must act and deliver an urgent investment in beds and staff to cut waiting times, which have recently hit record levels, and end the frustrations that cause some people to lash out at those trying to deliver care in the most challenging of circumstances.’
Staff shortages continue to be a huge concern. Only 31% say there are enough staff to enable them to do their job properly, and 45% say they felt unwell due to work-related stress. More than half (58%) came to work despite feeling not well enough to perform their duties, which is a 9% increase from 2020.
Pay continues to be a significant issue for those on the frontline of care, with just 27% saying they are satisfied with their level of pay. In a worrying sign of workforce shortages, more than half (58%) said they worked unpaid overtime every week and nearly a third (29%) said they often think about leaving their current organisation.
‘Along with the abuse, we're seeing staff hit with high levels of stress in environments where staff shortages are forcing many to work unpaid overtime to keep services running,’ added Ms Marquis.
‘As ministers and NHS leaders focus on cutting costs and driving productivity, we must see a keen focus on the staff who are working harder than ever to deliver the care patients need and deserve.
Irregular periods linked to increased prevalence of certain skin conditions
The prevalence of dermatological conditions such as acne and rosacea is increased in women with irregular menses, a new study has found.
The study, published in the British Journal of Dermatology, looked at a cohort of 17,000 women, recruited across 20 countries, and compared skin symptoms as well as the diagnosis of skin conditions between respondents with regular periods and those with irregular periods.
The prevalence of acne, rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, and melasma increased by approximately 5% for women with irregular menses; whilst other skin symptoms such as red reactive patches, thin skin, or flaky skin were also reported as higher by participants with irregular periods. Skin sensitivity was also higher in participants with irregular periods (57.6%, versus 47.6% in the cases of regular periods.)
‘The exact role that hormones play in the development of common, inflammatory skin conditions remains unclear,’ said Dr Carolyn Charman, Clinical Vice President of the British Association of Dermatologists.
‘This study suggests that hormonal imbalances, often indicated by irregular periods, may be linked to a higher prevalence of these conditions. More research is needed to further study the way hormones affect symptoms, prevalence, and flare-ups, and how this may be taken into account in terms of treatment options or management of symptoms.’
Overall, the results highlight that diagnosed skin disorders are significantly higher in participants with irregular periods.
The study authors pointed out that these results should prompt dermatologists and researchers to explore the complex interplays of hormonal factors in various skin disorders and self-reported conditions to offer new hormonal and topical approaches that would address this.
‘By exploring hormonal and topical approaches, dermatologists may be able to offer a more tailored, effective management plan for patients with hormonally influenced dermatological conditions,’ said Dr Charbel Skayem, researcher and dermatologist at Paris University Hospitals. ‘These might include hormonal replacement therapy, anti-androgens, topical hormonal treatments, and targeted cosmeceuticals.’