What the hon. Lady says about the importance of having clear benchmarks for what is acceptable is right. Over the past few years, the ratio of nurses to acute beds has improved. The paragraph to which she refers is interesting, as it states:
“There can be little doubt that the reason for the slow progress”
in dealing with the shortage of nurses
“and the slowness of the Board to inject the necessary funds…was the priority given to ensuring that the Trust books were in order for the”
foundation trust application. This is absolutely what Francis is saying: finances and targets were put ahead of patient care, so that is the big change that needs to take place.