'Highly unlikely' NHS services will be near normal by autumn, say doctors
Almost three-quarters of doctors have said it is “highly unlikely” NHS services will return to near normal by autumn, a survey has said.
Figures from the British Medial Association (BMA) revealed 73 per cent of those in the Midlands believe the target – set by NHS chiefs amid a backlog of cases – will be missed.
And more than half of the doctors, who work in the West Midlands, Staffordshire or Shropshire, say they weren’t confident over their practice or organisation handling patient demand.
It has led to calls from the trade union for the Government and NHS England to be “honest” with healthcare staff and patients over the backlog caused by the pandemic.
Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said: “These survey findings underline the sheer scale of the challenge for the NHS in the coming months, and the anxiety and concern felt by already exhausted frontline doctors as they look ahead to what will likely be one of the most challenging times of their careers.
“Although staff are being told that the NHS will begin to return to ‘business as usual’ they have little confidence that it will be able to cope with the backlog of millions of patients left untreated during the first spike of the pandemic.
“The Government and NHS England also need to be honest with both healthcare staff and patients about the backlog we’re facing. They must produce a clear strategy of how we can manage this increased demand, working with clinicians to prioritise those patients most in need of care, while at the same time being able to continue treating people who are still suffering with Covid-19. And crucially, doctors do not want patients avoiding the health service and risk getting much sicker as a result.”
Almost half of doctors in the West Midlands, Shropshire and Staffordshire say the demand for non-coronavirus care has already returned to normal – or has exceeded that level.
Wellbeing
One-in-five say the demand “considerably” exceeds levels experienced before the pandemic, with more than a quarter fearing they’re “never be able to” tackle the backlog – or that it would take longer than a year to sort.
Almost three-fifths say they aren’t confident over their ability to manage patient demand if there is a second outbreak, the survey revealed.
Dr Nagpaul added: “Doctors need to be given the opportunity to rest and take care of their wellbeing alongside tackling the backlog of care – we cannot have tired and ill doctors treating patients. And they and their employers shouldn’t be penalised if they cannot meet these targets.
“This pandemic has brought sharply into focus how underfunded and understaffed the health service has been in recent years.
“Now is the time to address this and properly fund the NHS, increase staffing numbers and give it the resources and capacity required to meet the needs of patients not just in the wake of a health emergency but in the long-term.”
