Fears for Welsh NHS as winter pressure bites
THE Welsh NHS could face a winter of unprecedented demand after performance against waiting times took a turn for the worse last month.
According to latest figures, more patients are waiting longer for vital operations, while the number of people spending unacceptably lengthy spells in A&E is also on the increase.
The pressures on the system were highlighted this week when many ambulances were seen queuing outside Wales’ largest hospital waiting to offload patients.
As many as 15 vehicles were reportedly stuck outside the entrance to accident and emergency at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff on Sunday afternoon.
If this trend continues into winter, experts have warned that a reduction in bed capacity and staff shortages could lead to operations being cancelled and patient care being compromised.
Dr David Bailey, chairman of BMA Welsh Council, said the NHS in Wales is “under-prepared” for fluctuations in demand, such as during the winter months.
He said: “BMA Cymru Wales believes it is vital that there is sufficient capacity across the entire health and social care system, including accident and emergency departments, general practice and social care provision. In particular, a lack of investment and capacity in social care is increasingly impacting on the provision of healthcare, especially during times of increased pressures on hospital and community beds.
“The extra surge in morbidity and illness during the winter months has a major impact on primary care and general practice needs to be provided with the resources and support to respond flexibly to the needs of patients.
“A permanent funding solution across the NHS needs to be implemented and investment must keep up with demand in every part of the system.”
In September, 2,438 patients spent longer than 12 hours in Welsh accident and emergency units – a rise of 1,858 on August and 2,165 in July.
The Welsh Government believes no patient should spend this long in A&E from admission to transfer or discharge.
This comes despite a 4.2% fall in overall A&E attendances last month and a 1.3% fall in ambulance calls in the same period.
There were similar concerns over the number of patients waiting nine months or more before receiving scheduled hospital treatment.
At the end of August, 22,440 (4.9%) – or one in 20 – people had been waiting more than 36 weeks from the date their referral letter was received by hospital staff. That was the highest number since February 2016.
The Welsh Government wants 95% of patients to be given treatment within 26 weeks of referral, but by the end of August just 85.2% of patients received it within that time-frame.
Commenting on their winter preparations, a Welsh Government spokesperson said: “A range of new initiatives to help support people and staff will be launched shortly. We are also ensuring the whole health service works together, including social services, for the benefit of our patients with over £100m being invested this year to deliver more care, closer to home, where possible.”
Health boards say patients should heed advice from the NHS Wales Choose Well campaign which signposts people to the most appropriate services to suit their needs.
A spokeswoman for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said: “The health board has an integrated winter plan that contributes to a whole system approach to ensure the quality and safety of services is maintained during the winter months.
“We also require the public to play their part by making use of local services such as pharmacists who can help with a variety of issues.”