Doctors at breaking point as lack of staff ‘puts patients at risk’

OVERWORKED doctors are at breaking point, with staff shortages ‘putting patients at risk’, a survey has found.

A third of Scotland’s consultants say there are ‘daily or weekly’ gaps in hospital rotas, with one in six saying these cause ‘significant patient safety problems’.

The study, by the Royal Physicians of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians of London, asked consultant and senior physicians for their views on their working conditions.

One in three consultants – 34 per cent – reported frequent rota gaps, with 16 per cent saying these caused serious problems for patient safety.

It also found 19 per cent of Scottish consultants said they had been asked to cover a gap or vacancy over the past year.

The survey of 5,826 UK doctors included 434 working north of the Border.

Professor Jackie Taylor, president of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, said: ‘This situation risks plunging our profession into a downward spiral. The wellbeing of doctors is suffering because of the increased workforce pressures that we face.

‘This census provides the definitive picture of the state of the medical profession across the UK today.

‘It makes clear that despite the commitment and professionalism of doctors up and down the country, the pressures that we face on a day-to-day basis are becoming more acute.

‘These results show we are now at breaking point.’

Physicians work in fields such as cardiology, geriatric medicine, acute medicine, stroke, dermatology and cancer care, with around 1,300 working north of the Border.

NHS Scotland is short of more than 500 consultants, including physicians and surgeons.

Professor Derek Bell OBE, president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said: ‘The census highlights the immense pressures in the NHS having a significant impact on our medical workforce and, ultimately, patient safety.

‘Put simply, the supply of physicians is not keeping up with demand and this needs to be addressed urgently if we are to continue to recruit and retain a world-class workforce to deliver the best possible patient care.

‘It is vital that now, more than ever, we have effective workforce plans and policies in place to cope with demand on the NHS using data from this census to inform future plans.

‘It is time to value our medical workforce and support their wellbeing to retain the experience, skills and knowledge of doctors at every level, from trainees to senior consultants.’

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs said: ‘The SNP has been warned about these workforce pressures for years.

‘But it repeatedly failed to act, and now the position seems increasingly desperate.

‘Having been in sole charge of Scotland’s NHS for more than 12 years, the Nationalists have no one to blame for this but themselves.’

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: ‘NHS staffing remains at historically high levels.

‘We value the dedication of those working in our NHS and this census is helpful in showing their experiences.’

‘Repeatedly failed to act’