CQC report on standards of care finds safety is the biggest concern.

Get staffing levels and skill mix right and quality will improve, concluded the regulator’s State of Care report, which uncovered safety problems in three quarters of hospitals. The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) first comprehensive study of standards in health and social care services across England, which was published last week, identified safety as its biggest concern. The CQC found over-reliance on agency staff and poorly planned rotas are common factors in organisations being rated ‘inadequate’. But according to the report, nurse staffing is not the only issue; the right mix of skills is also critical in ensuring safe patient care.