Experts air concern as job vacancies at hospitals rise

JOB vacancies at the area’s hospitals are increasing - as experts warn a high number of unfilled staff positions could put patients at risk.

Statistics released by NHS digital show that hospital trusts in our area posted 1,127 advertisements for full time or equivalent (FTE) staff vacancies in the three months to the end of September last year.

Workforce statistics show there were a total of 17,346 staff working in Leicestershire based health trusts at the end of September - meaning that a vacancy was advertised for every 15 members of staff.

The total number of vacancies in Leicestershire is higher than in the three months to June, when 1,067 FTE job advertisements were posted.

The figures also show an increase compared to the same period last year, when 1,079 advertisements were posted.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust saw the highest increase in vacancies - with the number of job advertisements rising from 694 to 734 over the period. That was followed by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (an increase of 18 adverts).

Across Leicestershire there was a large increase in vacancies for Allied Health Professionals positions.

There were 174 vacancy adverts for Allied Health Professionals jobs between July and September 2018 - up 47 from the previous three months.

The number of adverts for Medical and Dental positions fell from 124 to 110 over the period.

Across England, there were a total 94,086 vacancies posted by the NHS in the three months to September last year.

Of those, 37,951 were for positions in Nursing and Midwifery - 40 per cent of the total.

That’s the highest number of vacancies since at least April to June 2015 - when the NHS started publishing the figures.

There were also 9,217 vacancies for medical and dental positions across the country - however these were down 13 per cent from the previous quarter.

NHS Digital said that the actual number of empty posts may be higher than the number of advertised vacancies, as one vacancy advert can be used to fill multiple vacancies.

Therefore the statistics should be read as a minimum level of vacancy in the NHS.

Experts have warned that rising vacancies could put patients at risk.

Commenting, Dr Gary Wannan, BMA consultants committee acting chair said: “The shocking level of NHS vacancies highlighted in the NHS Digital report published today confirms the BMA’s long-standing and deep concern over workforce numbers.

“With over 6,000 doctor vacancies across the NHS during last summer alone the medical workforce is in real crisis.

“These vacancies are putting frontline doctors under even greater pressure; patients will be placed at risk as existing doctors, faced with increased patient demand and a damaging lack of reward and recognition, experience high levels of stress and burnout.

“A recent BMA survey of Consultants show many have a desire to leave the profession well before retirement age.

“The Government must realise that doctor vacancies are made even worse by drastic falls in both recruitment and in keeping staff which, unless addressed through proper workforce planning and appropriate remuneration for doctors, means that delivery of the government’s current plan for the NHS will be fatally undermined.”