Warning that doctor shortage has NHS at ‘breaking point’

HEALTHCARE: Concern for staff and patients, and risk of ‘downward spiral’

Doctor shortages are jeopardising patient safety, and rota gaps are pushing the NHS to “breaking point”, Scottish physicians have warned.

A lack of doctors in NHS Scotland due to unfilled vacancies, sick leave and a shortage of available staff is often putting patients’ welfare at risk, a survey of consultants has found.

More than a third of Scottish doctors (34%) reported, in the Royal Colleges’ annual census, that trainee rota gaps occurred at least daily, while 16% warned that they are causing “significant patient safety problems”.

A further 78% of those who responded said rota gaps potentially cause patient safety problems, but that there are solutions in place.

Just 6% reported that rota gaps had no impact on patient safety.

The survey of 5,826 doctors, published by the Edinburgh, Glasgow and London Royal College of Physicians, showed the number of posts needing to be filled across the NHS significantly outnumbers the supply of physicians.

“This situation now risks plunging our profession into a downward spiral which contributes to further workforce shortages and rota gaps,” said Professor Jackie Taylor, the president of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

Prof Taylor warned that the shortages are affecting doctors and patients, and said: “The wellbeing of doctors is suffering because of the increased workforce pressures that we face.

“That’s why we urgently need a comprehensive plan to address the serious issues that this census raises, so we can reduce the stress that doctors are under and take steps to retain practitioners within the NHS.”

In Scotland, where there is one consultant doctor per 3,987 of the population, almost three-quarters of respondents (73%) said that gaps or vacancies most negatively affected their work-life balance.

Prof Taylor said: “These results show that we are now at breaking point.”

Prof Derek Bell, president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said: “The census – once again – highlights the immense pressures that exist in the NHS across the UK with rota gaps, unfilled posts and high levels of sickness absence all having a significant impact on our medical workforce and, ultimately, patient safety.

“Physicians work hard to mitigate the impact of rota gaps but these pressures contribute to increased need for consultant presence, poor morale, and insufficient time for service development.

“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,” he said.

“We need to ensure an increased number of medical school places, sufficient time for training, and maximise international training fellowships. Similarly, repurposing the current NHS spend on locum and agency staff into permanent posts staff would be a more effective use of this money.”

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The supply of physicians is not keeping up with demand. PROFESSOR DEREK BELL