NHS services ‘deteriorating’, says top doc
NHS services in Scotland are “deteriorating” and patients are suffering, the boss of the doctors’ union has claimed.
Dr Peter Bennie gave the damning summary as more than 200 doctors gathered in Glasgow for the first-ever Scottish British Medical Association conference today.
The chairman of BMA Scotland said the increasing gap between the demands on the NHS and the resources made available by the Scottish Government meant doctors’ workloads are at an all-time high.
The intervention is another blow to underfire Health Secretary Shona Robison, who is already facing calls to quit over the NHS Tayside financial scandal.
Dr Bennie said: “Numerous issues are impacting on doctors’ ability to do our jobs.
“Crucially, while there have been increases in both finances and workforce, this is simply not keeping pace with demand. Doctors struggle with the implications of this on a daily basis – with services deteriorating, patients suffering as a result and more pressure being put on already overworked staff.”
Dr Bennie also warned that vacancy levels across the Scottish NHS are “simply not sustainable”.