THE BMA doctors’ union and the RCN nurses’ union joined hands in denouncing the Tory government’s onslaught on the NHS yesterday, after the publication of a scathing report from the Public Accounts Committee.
The report accused the government of having made ‘no coherent attempt’ to assess the workforce implications of expanding seven-day NHS services and called for an urgent review of NHS clinical staffing.
Dr Mark Porter, BMA council chair, responded: ‘At a time when there is growing evidence casting doubt on a “weekend effect” – the basis for the government’s plans for expanding seven-day services – this report further underlines the government’s failure to consider how it will staff and fund additional services when the NHS is struggling to provide existing services.
‘Despite what ministers claim, NHS funding has not kept up with rising patient demand and the increased cost of delivering care. Staff shortages are seen across the NHS, patients are waiting longer for appointments, and there is no real solution to the £22bn funding gap facing our health service.
‘This situation is only set to get worse, not least because of the government’s handling of the junior doctor contract which has alienated a generation of doctors. This is disastrous for the delivery of patient care in the long-term.’
Janet Davies, Chief Executive and General Secretary of the RCN, said: ‘This report highlights the lasting impact of poor planning on the nursing workforce and patient care.
‘The NHS is already experiencing a severe shortage of nursing staff which the government only risks worsening through its plans to change student funding. The government has not thought hard enough about the risks of their student funding proposals or of reducing the funding for continuing education. The proposals don’t reflect the reality of modern nurse training or address the risk that they will reduce access to nursing and make workforce planning even more difficult.
‘The risks are so serious that the proposals should be immediately stopped until a more suitable model of funding can be found as the evidence to justify these changes just isn’t there.’
• ‘Discharge planning is only possible with the right workforce,’ the RCN said yesterday in response to a report on unsafe discharge from hospital. Anna Crossley, RCN Professional Lead for Acute, Emergency and Critical Care, warned: ‘The report highlights some distressing and challenging issues.
‘Discharge planning is only possible with the right workforce in the right place and with the ability to deliver services across the whole health and social care system. Without the right resources, the system struggles to meet demand and this must change.’
