Understaffing on the front line of care is not new, but increased pressures have taken it to new levels. Nurses discuss the challenges, and barriers to reporting

For nurses, understaffing on the front line of patient care is not new, it is typical. Edward (not his real name) had been working as a staff nurse on a care of older people ward for just three weeks, after arriving in England from the Philippines, when he was left as the sole nurse for 30 patients.