Doctors’ concerns over patient safety as NHS faces winter pressure
MORE than half of frontline medical staff fear their hospital will not be able to keep patients safe this winter, an “alarming” poll has revealed.
Fewer than 20 per cent of 1,761 doctors, trainees, consultants and specialist medics askedd said they were “confident” or “very confident” about preparations for the increased pressure winter is likely to place on the NHS.
The Royal College of Physicians found that in all, 58 per cent of doctors were “worried” or “very worried” about the ability of their hospital to deliver safe patient care over the next few months.
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said ministers must ensure there is enough cash available to meet winter demands.
He said: “This is an alarming poll of doctors on the frontline and indicates the Health Secretary must do more to prepare the NHS this winter.
“There was no extra cash for acute trusts in the recent budget for winter and we know many hospitals are facing intense pressures.
“It would be unforgivable if patients suffer another winter like last year. Ministers urgently need to reassure us they have a plan and will make proper funds available.”
The poll also found under a third of doctors took part in planning for winter while 96 per cent did not know how extra cash promised for social care will be used to relieve hospital pressure.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced last month an extra £240million will be injected into adult social care services to help patients go home earlier and free up vital hospital beds.
The poll of foundation doctors, trainees, consultants and speciality and associate specialist doctors was carried out earlier this month.
Royal College of Physicians president Professor Andrew Goddard said that while more was being done to prepare for winter, the poll showed the results are not being seen by nurses and doctors.
He said: “We know the Government and NHS are doing much more to plan than they were prior to 2017-18. But these findings show it is still not filtering down to staff on the wards, who need to feel confident that plans are in place to deal with the inevitable increase in demand, so they can get on with the job of providing direct clinical care.
“When we’re concerned that the wheels could fall off any moment, the pressure goes up and morale goes down.”
Last winter was the “worst ever” for the NHS following a severe flu season and long periods of cold weather, thenHealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt admitted.
More than 81,000 patients in England were left waiting on trolleys in accident and emergency departments for more than four hours and a record 1,043 waited more than 12 hours while hospitals were forced to cancel thousands of routine operations. NHS England was approached for comment.