Safer staffing

Nurse and patient on ward

Nursing and Midwifery Safe Staffing levels are essential in the delivery of safe and effective care for our patients.

At Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, we are committed to ensuring our nurse and midwifery staffing levels meet acceptable levels at all times, including during times of challenge as seen over the Covid pandemic.

Trust staffing status information

All inpatient wards display the daily "staffing status" information, providing the planned staffing alongside the actual numbers on duty for the day.

Each division reviews the staffing levels and produces an exception report to give detailed reasons for staffing hours that are below 80% or above 120% of the planned staffing levels.

This is reported to the Trust Board monthly, separated by:

  • day and night
  • registered nurses and care staff eg healthcare assistants. 

Each year the Trust undertakes nursing and midwifery staffing reviews to ensure that the number of staff  employed on each ward or area is adequate to meet the needs of the patient group they are caring for. These reviews follow the National Guidance (NICE 2014).

Safe Staffing National Data Set submission

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is required to provide its monthly Nursing and Midwifery Safe Staffing fill rates and Care Hours per Patient Day (CHPPD ) via the monthly UNIFY return.

To view our monthly Safer Staffing Unify returns and Trust Fill Rates, click on the tab below:

Safe staffing monthly Unify returns