The £500m ‘bailout’ of A&E departments struggling to cope with the massive increase of patients, is a totally inadequate sticking plaster solution” said Christina McAnea, UNISON Head of Health.
The union is calling for a fundamental review into urgent care caused by the scrapping of NHS Direct, a lack of out of hours GP cover, staffing cuts and closures, high bed occupancy rates, cuts to social care and the lack of appropriate healthcare in the community.
Christina McAnea, went on to say:
“It was confirmed last year that the Treasury clawed back at least £1bn of the ‘savings’ the NHS had been forced to make, so this £500m is just a part of the funding that rightly belongs back in the health service. A&E acts as a litmus test for the health of the whole NHS and it is clear that the Government is failing that test.
“Staff working in A&E are under enormous pressure and the same is true of paramedics queuing up outside and forced off the road, while they wait to hand over their patients. The Government needs to get a grip on emergency care and we need long-term joined-up planning, not short-term, totally inadequate, sticking plaster solutions.
“It is time for a fundamental review into urgent care caused by the scrapping of NHS Direct, a lack of out of hours GP cover, staffing cuts and closures, high bed occupancy rates, cuts to social care and the lack of appropriate healthcare in the community.”
