‘Safe doctor cover vital as wards in rota gap chaos’
Asenior Welsh doctor says staff shortages are causing “havoc” on hospital wards and are affecting patient care.
Dr Ram Kumar, chairman of the British Medical Association’s (BMA) Welsh staff, is calling on the Welsh Government to introduce legislation that sets “safe” minimum levels of doctor cover.
It follows on from the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act – introduced in 2016 and implemented in full in April 2018 – which places a duty on health boards and NHS trusts to maintain nurse staffing levels in adult acute medical and surgical inpatient wards.
Now Dr Kumar, speaking at the BMA’s annual representative meeting in Brighton, believes the same “landmark” law should be applied to doctors in Welsh hospitals.
He said: “Time and again we hear how rota gaps are causing havoc in our workplaces, severely impacting the delivery of care, as well as the quality of training, and adding to a system already under immense pressure.
“Two years ago, Wales became the first country in Europe to introduce safe staffing laws for nursing. Now we are asking why, in Wales, can’t we see minimum safe standards for doctors as well? In a recent survey most respondents said that guaranteed safe levels of medical staffing would most improve their day-today working lives.”
Since 2009 the number of consultants working in Wales has risen from 2,035.6 in 2009 to 2,506.6 in 2017.
But the number of patients needing hospital treatment has also been on the increase for many years, with the number of A&E attendances rising from 78,760 in April 2012 to 83,158 in April 2018.
And it appears the increase in demand is affecting job satisfaction. A recent survey by the BMA found that 76% of doctors in Wales believe health services have worsened over the last 12 months.
Dr David Bailey, chairman of the BMA’s Welsh council, led the BMA’s annual representative meeting in supporting Dr Kumar’s motion.
He said: “Pressures due to rota gaps are so severe now that anyone working in emergency departments or out of hours across Wales would welcome a ceiling that can be flexed up, but never down, with open arms.”
The Royal College of Nursing in Wales, which successfully lobbied for the introduction of the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act, also supported the motion from Dr Kumar.
Helen Whyley, associate director (Employment Relations), at RCN Wales said: “This would be a great opportunity and another first for Wales.”
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “There are now a record number of staff employed in the NHS in Wales, demonstrating our commitment to ensuring the health service has the staff its needs for the future.”