Survey suggests NHS is "buckling under the strain"

02 March 2017

A report by The King’s Fund says sicker patients are the main reason for growing pressures on A&E.

In a survey of NHS finance directors published in its Quarterly Monitoring Report (QMR), 80% of those who responded identified growing numbers of patients with severe illnesses and complex health needs as a key factor behind these pressures.

Responding to the report, the chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, said 

“These findings highlight once again the scale of the challenges facing the NHS this winter, and some of the key factors behind them. 

“They reveal deep concerns about the growing numbers of patients coming to A&E with severe illnesses who are difficult to treat. To some extent this reflects the demographic pressures of an ageing population, which are likely to accelerate in the coming years as the first wave of the baby-boom generation reach their eighth decade. 

“They also underline the importance of investing in social care and community health services to identify and treat problems before they become emergencies

The report conveys the great lengths to which the health service went in order to cope with extra pressures. These measures will also place further strain on NHS finances, already nearly £900 million in the red this year.

 “The report conveys the great lengths to which the health service went in order to cope with additional pressures. These included cancelling routine operations, bringing in agency staff and using the private sector. These measures will also place further strain on NHS finances, already nearly £900 million in the red this year

“Still, it wasn't enough to prevent a worrying deterioration in performance. And there will be a further price to pay. Longer waiting lists will mean more delays for patients, more pressure on staff and trouble ahead for the NHS as the 18-week target moves further out of reach.

“We have called for an urgent review of winter pressures on the NHS to ensure the right lessons are learned from the experiences of recent weeks. We owe it to patients, and to frontline staff who have given their all to help the NHS through this difficult time.”