NHS workforce ‘could not cope’ with third wave and winter pressures

MPs have warned the NHS is facing a unique set of pressures as winter nears and lockdown ends.

The government has admitted the NHS in England does not have enough doctors and nurses to be able to keep all services running should there be a third spike in coronavirus cases, as leaked figures show staff numbers who are absent from work due to the rising in virus cases.

An analysis released by Downing Street of the coronavirus impact warned that even with a six per cent increase in NHS staff since August 2019 and an increase in funding, “there is a trade-off between the NHS’s ability to deliver Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 care in the event that hospitalisations rise.”

It also warns of the psychological effects of staff, saying “It would be expected that higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) would be seen amongst health and social care staff.”

New leaked data for England shows that over 82,000 NHS staff are absent from work with more than two-fifths linked to coronavirus, either because of sickness or due to the need to self-isolate. This figure includes nearly 27,000 nurses and 4,000 doctors absent from NHS wards.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said “It’s important that MPs understand the true extent of pressures faced by the NHS as they consider the new tiered restrictions.

“National statistics tell only part of the story. In reality the situation for trusts is much more difficult. Trust leaders understand only too well the impact of these restrictions on people’s livelihoods and liberties and on their mental health.

“Vaccines, therapeutic drugs and mass scale rapid turnaround testing offer a clear way out of this next spring.

“But there is an immediate need to get through winter, avoiding a damaging third surge in infections with the virus, and ensuring the NHS is able to provide appropriate high quality care for all patients, Covid and non-Covid.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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