article_snippet.sent: It comes as the Royal College of Nursing this week revealed, in their final report before next month's General Election, that despite a rise in the total number of nurses since 2010, 'the reality on the ground is that there are fewer nurses, providing more care'.
article_snippet.sent: The increase in total nursing workforce, excluding midwives, health visitors and school nurses, is only 1,470.
article_snippet.sent: While the number of FTE posts has increased, the number of people filling those posts has fallen by 1,845, meaning that fewer nurses are providing more care.
article_snippet.sent: Dr Peter Carter, RCN chief executive and general secretary, said: 'RCN warned that cutting the workforce numbers to fund the NHS reorganisation and to find the efficiency savings was the wrong course to take. '
article_snippet.sent: Many areas, like district nursing and mental health, are even worse off. '
article_snippet.sent: The study, carried out by a team at the University of SouthamptonSouthampton, considered the views of 31,627 nurses in 488 hospitals across 12 European countries.