Presently there is no Law requiring Trusts to have a minimum nurse(midwife)/patient ratio in wards in hospitals in England. Therefore is perfectly legal to ask one Qualified nurse to care for 15 or more patients supported by an auxillary in a medical, surgical, geriatric, orthopaedic ward etc (list not comprehensive) Research in England and the USA has shown that wards with lower nurse patient ratios have higher mortality rates ( up to 26% in a English study of 118,572 patients episodes ) In California, USA, a Law was signed in 1999 an implemented in 2004. Ratios have been recently revised and improved. Most observers agree that it has been a success.Similar Laws exist in Australia and Canada. I urge nurses of all types and grades, midwifes, doctors , all hospital staff and public to sign this petition and ask your prospective MP on this vital issue. Milton Pena

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