Crisis won’t be the last.. we need help

THE health service is in the grip of another winter crisis, with cancelled operations causing distress and anxiety for patients who have already been waiting months for treatment.

The system simply does not have the numbers of doctors, beds and community facilities to cope with the number of patients coming through its doors.

It is important to remember that what is happening in our A&Es is symptomatic of pressures across the entire national health service.

Problems at the hospital front door are often linked to delays at the hospital back door, as patients who are well enough to leave often have nowhere to go due to a shortage of social and community care.

Short-term fixes, however well meaning, will only get us so far. We need to ensure there are enough staff and resources to treat a rising and ageing population with complex healthcare needs.