Search

Government urged to act on NHS pressures

The Prime Minister and Health Secretary are under increased pressure to address NHS conditions.

The UK Government is facing increasing pressure to address the “intolerable and unsustainable” conditions currently facing the National Health Service (NHS). Senior doctors have described the NHS as being on a “knife edge”, with some accident and emergency departments in a “complete state of crisis”. Following the pandemic, waiting lists have been further exacerbated by strikes of healthcare workers.

Hospitals are currently dealing with high levels of demand, which is believed to be driven in part by winter illnesses such as flu and Covid-19. Figures from NHS England show that 13 percent of hospital beds in England are currently occupied by patients with Covid or flu. In certain areas, such as Shropshire and Gloucestershire, people are being advised to only visit A&E in extreme circumstances.

In recent days, a number of hospitals have declared critical incidents, indicating that they are unable to function as normal due to the high levels of pressure. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has said that the NHS is experiencing the worst winter on record for A&E waiting times.

Pressure from the opposition

The situation has prompted criticism from the Labour party and calls from the Liberal Democrats for Parliament to be recalled early.

Labour’s shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, has accused the government of “actively deterring” people from visiting A&E because the departments are overwhelmed. He called it “completely inexplicable” that no government ministers have “raised their head or shown their face” to explain what is being done to address the crisis.

Liberal Democrat MP, Daisy Cooper, has called on Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, to declare a major incident warning that “the country will never forgive the government if they refuse to recall Parliament”. MPs are due to return to Westminster on Monday following their Christmas break.

The chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA), which represents doctors, has called on the government to “step up and take immediate action”. Professor Phil Banfield argued that the survival of the NHS is on a “knife edge” and claimed that patients are needlessly dying as a result of political choices.

NHS England’s chief strategy officer, Chris Hopson, has urged caution when it comes to claims that people are dying as a result of issues within the health service, warning against “jumping to conclusions about excess mortality rates and their cause without a really full and detailed look at the evidence”.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued advice urging people to stay home if they are unwell and to wear masks if they have to go out, in light of rising cases of flu, Covid, and strep A. Professor Susan Hopkins, the UKHSA’s chief medical adviser, has also asked parents to keep children off school if they are unwell and have a fever.

Government response

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, has acknowledged that staff are under “tremendous pressure”, but has argued that the government has provided additional resources to the NHS and social care to help services cope.

A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care has also said that the government had provided the NHS with up to £14.1bn in additional funding over the next two years and had given an extra £500m to speed up hospital discharges and free up beds. The spokesperson added that the government had also awarded a 9.3 percent pay rise to the lowest earners in the NHS last year and that the health secretary and ministers had met with unions several times to discuss how to improve the working lives of NHS staff.

Final thought

As no progress has been made on nurse and ambulance strikes, all eyes are on the Government to alleviate pressure on health and social care services. The influx of winter viruses tends to add pressure at this time of year, but given the record breaking backlog after austerity measures and the pandemic – the NHS is at breaking point.

Time will tell on the Government’s course of action, but with fiscal tightening for the foreseeable future it seems the NHS will have to endure these conditions for now.

Share

Related Topics

Latest

Trump’s Ukraine Deal: What It Means for the UK

Donald Trump’s latest diplomatic manoeuvres have sent shockwaves through Europe. With plans for direct peace talks with Vladimir Putin, the former US president appears willing to push Ukraine into territorial concessions. But what does this mean for the UK? From military strategy to diplomatic alliances, Britain now faces a critical test of its role in European security. With NATO unity at stake and Ukraine’s sovereignty hanging by a thread, the UK must decide whether to step up or risk being sidelined.

Labour’s £350 Million Housing Boost: Will It Solve the Crisis?

Labour has announced a £350 million investment to boost affordable housing and tackle rogue landlords. Sir Keir Starmer, in Buckinghamshire, unveiled plans for 100 new towns, calling it the largest housebuilding drive since the post-war era. While welcomed, concerns remain over planning and labour shortages. Will this be a true housing revolution or just a temporary fix?

Video Features

Health and Social Care Reforms: Facing the Challenges, Building the Future

Revolutionising Healthcare Diagnostics: A Call to Arms

NHS & Life Sciences: Harnessing Innovation For Global Health

Screening and Diagnostics: Advancing the Frontiers of Healthcare

Subscribe to our newsletter for your free digital copy of the journal!

Receive our latest insights, future journals as soon as they are published and get invited to our exclusive events and webinars.

Newsletter Signups
?
?

We respect your privacy and will not share your email address with any third party. Your personal data will be collected and handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Never miss an issue by subcribing to our newsletter!

Receive our latest insights and all future journals as soon as they are published and get invited to our exclusive events and webinars.

Newsletter Signups
?
?

We respect your privacy and will not share your email address with any third party. Your personal data will be collected and handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Never miss an issue by subcribing to our newsletter!

Receive our latest insights and all future journals as soon as they are published and get invited to our exclusive events and webinars.

Newsletter Signups
?
?

We respect your privacy and will not share your email address with any third party. Your personal data will be collected and handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Newsletter Signup

Receive our latest insights as soon as they are published and get invited to our exclusive events and webinars.

Newsletter Signups
?
?

We respect your privacy and will not share your email address with any third party. Your personal data will be collected and handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.