DR DAVID BAILEY

COLUMNIST

OUR latest tracker survey of doctors across Wales found that more than half said they were either not very confident – or not confident at all – in their own department being able to manage patient demand as NHS services are resumed.

It is a huge undertaking to restart the full range of NHS services while managing the threat from Covid-19, and we need to ensure capacity in the system to be able to manage a second wave of infection as well as keep patients and staff safe while restoring normal service as far as we can.

To address the backlog, we are urging Welsh Government to bring together health leaders and staff groups to ensure frontline clinicians are leading discussions on how to prioritise the sickest patients left without treatment due to the redeployment of staff and resources to deal with the Covid-19 crisis.

Worryingly, in our latest survey, almost a third of doctors said there had been no engagement with them over how to manage the increase in demand in their place of work or local area.

In order to address the backlog, we believe the following must be priorities for the Welsh Government:

■ 1. Transparency: Comprehensive data on healthcare demand, population health and workforce must be rapidly collated and published to inform planning in the months ahead.

■ 2. Capacity: The NHS redistributed capacity to care for Covid-19 patients during the peak of the pandemic, but at the expense of other treatments and services. Welsh Government must commit to giving the NHS whatever resources it needs to tackle the backlog.

■ 3. Workforce: Efforts must be made to retain, support and protect the valuable staff who have given their all in fighting the pandemic, prioritising their wellbeing and mental health and protecting them from burnout.

■ 4. Learning: Services have been overhauled in the response to the crisis, and the NHS must keep the positive changes for the long-term while ditching unnecessary, outdated systems in other areas.

The last few months have been incredibly challenging and it’s important to learn from them. We have seen the potential of the Welsh NHS to move fast, implement video technology and new ways of remote working.

Doctors have embraced the changes. A reduction in paperwork, bureaucracy and unnecessary regulation has liberated doctors and allowed them to dedicate their time to seeing and treating patients.

We must retain these positive improvements, which of course require systematic changes like guaranteed access to up-to-date IT software and hardware – the lack of which has frustrated healthcare workers for too long.

Over the last few months we have witnessed the outstanding dedication of doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers.

Of course, the dedication of these professionals has never been in doubt, but a light has been shone on their exceptional contribution in caring for our loved ones.

They must be protected themselves, and over the weeks and months to come must continue to be provided with appropriate PPE, access to mental health support, and their views must be listened to and respected as we navigate our way to the “new normal”.

■ Dr David Bailey is BMA Cymru Wales council chair