While it's handy to be able to compare hospitals on the number of car parking spaces they provide, some might find it more reassuring to know there will be enough nurses to take care of you.

As part of the NHS choice strategy, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) wants the public to be able to find out how many registered nurses, - as opposed to healthcare assistants - they can expect on each ward, Nursing Standard (June 18) reports.

The RCN recommends a ratio of 65:35 for registered to non-registered staff on acute wards. Howard Catton, RCN head of policy, says: “This ratio is a consistent indicator of quality and publishing this information would increase the visibility of nursing.”

His comments come on the back of The Audit Commission and Healthcare Commission report Is the Treatment Working? which examines the concept of patient choice.

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The report highlights that the Department of Health website NHS Choices, does not hold comparative data on factors such as readmission rates. Furthermore, it finds no evidence that increasing patient choice had significantly improved healthcare.

The DH is now keen to trial a system allowing patients to rate publicly their GP practice on the NHS Choices website within the next six months, Pulse (June 18) reports.

But GP leaders - who have so far backed the website - are not so keen to have this online scoring extended to practices. They fear the move could lead to unfair criticism and “selectively attract disgruntled patients”. Even good hospitals are criticised under the current system. Despite the Healthcare Commission rating services at Salford Royal as “excellent”, patient feedback on the website includes a plea to “stop cancelling appointments and send people to specialists instead of glorified GPs”.

No fuel - so give 'em soup

As fuel prices rocket, the nutritional value of hospital food could plummet.

Emergency contingency plans are being drawn up by NHS organisations across the UK to ensure they cope amid fears of a mass fuel crisis, Nursing Standard (June 18) reports.

The forward-thinking Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust has designed a restricted menu of soup and one main meal choice if potential fuel shortages result in restricted deliveries of fresh food.

The trust acknowledged the measures could leave patients with a “temporary reduction in the nutritional content of meals provided”.

Hospital food isn't exactly renowned for its culinary diversity at the best of times. Takeaway, anyone?

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