A Westcountry hospital has been ordered to improve staffing levels after a health watchdog found a ward where only two nurses were looking after 25 patients.
Wheal Agar ward at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske, was among a number of visited by a team from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) earlier this year.
The ward, which caters for older people, had just two nurses, who were supported by two care workers and a cleaner.
In another ward, Phoenix, where stroke patients are looked after, inspectors found three nurses were backed by three care assistants.
Bosses at the hospital trust said action had already been taken.
But Graham Webster, vice-chairman of the campaign group Health Initiative Cornwall, said it simply wasn't good enough.
"This is very disappointing," he said.
"It is not good for patients. We have to do something about this. We have got to get this sorted for the sake of patients."
The inspectors found the Cornish hospital was meeting a range of standards, including treating patients with dignity and ensuring they were well fed.
However, concerns were were raised about staffing on wards, particularly Wheal Agar, where earlier this year two members of staff were suspended over allegations surrounding a patient.
The inspection was mounted as a result of safeguarding issues at Wheal Agar, said the CQC.
While inspectors found patients to be largely complimentary about staff, they were noted to be sometimes 'thin on the ground'.
In their report, inspectors said: "We saw staff on Wheal Agar ward struggling to meet the demands of the patients. Many of the patients needed two staff to help them and others were wandering around with no focus." Andrew MacCallum, nurse executive at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust (RCHT), said the CQC had raised a "moderate" level of concern about staffing levels on some of the wards.
He added that the report also showed that despite the pressures, nursing staff were clearly committed to and delivering high standards of patient care.
"We will be responding to the CQC, reaffirming the actions relating to staffing that were underway at the time of the visit and those that we have since implemented, including recruitment of additional nursing staff." he said.
"This should give patients confidence in the level of care they should expect to receive at all of RCHTs hospitals."
Carol Williams, Director of Nursing for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, added: "We feel reassured by the findings of the CQC inspection and the actions since taken by the RCHT to address the staffing concerns."
