Staff ratios 'putting patients and nurses at risk in hospitals'

Senior nurses are warning of unsafe staffing levels at hospitals in England.

The Safe Staffing Alliance says hospital wards regularly have each registered nurse looking after eight patients - which they say is unsafe.

The group, which includes the Royal College of Nursing, Unison and the Patients Association, says safe nursing levels have been ignored for too long.

Elaine Inglesby-Burke, Nursing Director at Salford Royal Hospital, said not only was there a risk for patients, but low staff levels had the potential to cause burn-out in nurses.