What will it take for the government to confront pressures on the NHS? | Richard Vize

There is no safety valve for a health service running at full throttle with frazzled staff. The potential for significant harm to patients is increasing

What pressure will the NHS be under in the first week of 2020, and what will be the consequences?

This winter, the NHS finally ran out of road. Among the deluge of data revealing the depth of the current problems, three shocking figures stand out. So far, 23 out of 152 acute hospital trusts have declared black alerts – this means a wet week in January is a “serious incident” preventing them offering comprehensive care.

Related: The NHS is under threat. Only a new model of care will save it | Kailash Chand

Choreographed apologies to patients and thanks to staff might be just enough to get ministers through this winter, but they won’t wash in the coming years.

Related: Why is the NHS under so much pressure this winter?

Continue reading... January 05, 2018 at 05:13PM