Commenting on the publication of the government’s urgent and emergency care plan today (Friday), UNISON head of health Helga Pile said:
“This long-overdue plan recognises the nightmare conditions facing patients and staff at emergency units.
“The greatest pressure used to be in winter but underfunding and staff shortages now mean it’s frantic all year round.
“Allocating some cash for buildings and equipment to treat those who don’t require a hospital stay and for mental health patients is good. But the amount is nowhere near enough to meet soaring demand, and there’s no new funding to bring in much-needed extra staff.
“This all comes as NHS trusts and integrated care boards are forced to slash running costs and cut tens of thousands of jobs.
“Publishing data and extra guidance, while pushing overworked staff to hit new targets and get more patients through the doors, won’t convince anyone things are about to get better.
“It also feels unrealistic to ask trusts to develop winter plans amid the chaos, uncertainty and plummeting morale provoked by demands to balance budgets and shed employees.
“Hard-pressed ambulance crews will appreciate the new 45-minute standard for handing over patients to A&E so they can get back on the road. But this isn’t necessarily good news for patients if all it means is a long wait in a hospital corridor* instead of the back of an ambulance.
“Giving 999 call handlers more resources and support will help, although it’s unclear where this will come from. Or whether it’ll make much of a dent in the huge numbers leaving every week because of the intolerable pressures that come with this demanding job.”
Notes to editors:
– *Earlier this year, UNISON published research that found paramedics were being forced to watch patients deteriorate, and in some cases die, because they can’t hand them over to A&E departments quickly enough. More than two thirds (68%) of ambulance workers had experienced patients’ health deteriorating during long waits and one in twenty (5%) said people had died in their care because of long delays in being admitted to hospital wards.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
The article More data and extra guidance alone won’t convince staff emergency care pressures are about to ease first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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