The BBC reports that the Government has been warned that it must come up with a plan to fix the NHS amid mounting concern about the lack of progress in reducing long waits for care.
Latest figures
The latest figures show that the backlog in hospital care in England has risen and targets to cut the longest waits look like they are going to be missed.
At the end of August 2024, the waiting list for hospital treatment was 7.64 million.
Experts have now said that the Government must use the Budget later this month to demonstrate its commitment to the NHS.
The funding announcement will be followed by a 10-year plan for the NHS along with long-term spending promises for 2026-27 onwards.
Too little progress
Professor Frank Smith of the Royal College of Surgeons of England said that there had been too little progress in tackling long waits.
He said:
“If the new government wants to show it is serious about meeting its pledge to cut waiting times, it must provide capital funding for NHS buildings and IT in the autumn Budget, later this month….With reports of broken lifts and flooded corridors in hospitals leading to cancelled operations, and surgeons telling us access to operating theatres remains an issue, cutting waits will remain an uphill battle without this investment.”
Siva Anandaciva, of the King’s Fund health think tank said that the NHS was approaching winter in bad shape, and that one in four people were waiting longer in A&E than the target of four hours. “It is nearly a decade since the target was met,” he said.
He continued:
“The government has made its diagnosis that the NHS is broken – and now they must fix it. There have been reports the NHS will be put at the centre of the upcoming Budget – the proof will be in the pudding of how far the government are willing to go to support health and care services ahead of next year’s multi-year spending review.”
Without Intervention What Can We Expect?
The experts are clear that there is no time to lose and steps must be taken to save the NHS.
Patricia Marquis of the Royal College of Nursing said:
“Without intervention, the government’s next 100 days will be defined by patients crammed into fire escapes, store cupboards, and corridors. The government’s long-term reforms to the NHS are necessary, but patients and nursing staff also need action in the here and now. Ministers must intervene.”
As winter approaches, the health service is bracing for another incredibly busy period. People are being urged to come forward for their winter vaccines in order to help ease the pressures.
Health Minister, Karin Smyth, said that plans were already in place to help the NHS cope in the coming months and advised that the Government was working to radically reform the NHS through the 10-year plan.
Comment
Whilst it may be the case that the Government is working on longer-term plans, it remains plain for all to see that the issues are happening now and causing devastating impacts to the NHS service. Patients are at real risk due to backlogs and waits for care. This cannot be allowed to continue.
Action needs to be taken imminently, before the pressures increase over winter, to ensure that the NHS can continue to care for those who need it.
Clearly, ministers do need to take notice and take action, as the experts are urging them to do. The evidence is there to show that this is absolutely imperative. Whether the Government takes heed remains to be seen.
How can we help?
Danielle Young is a Legal Director in our Medical Negligence team, which has been ranked in tier one by the independently researched publication, The Legal 500.
If you have any questions in relation to the subjects discussed in this article, then please get in touch with Danielle or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester, or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
Contact us