“The increasing pressure on A&E departments can be traced right back to this Government” said UNISON Head of Health Christina McAnea today (24 July). The union is demanding urgent action coupled with a funding injection, in the light of the latest Health Select Committee report highlighting fundamental flaws in the ability of A&E departments to cope with mounting pressures.
People have a right to expect that the money they pay in taxes is used to fund well-staffed, efficient A&E departments and hospitals said the union.
Christina McAnea, went on to say:
“It is clear that staff in A&E departments are being put under intolerable pressure. Government cuts are having a devastating impact on the whole of the NHS and no area is immune from the impact.
“As far back as February this year the NHS staff survey showed that a third of workers felt there were not enough staff to be able to do their job properly. This problem has been magnified in A&Es by the disastrous changes to NHS Direct and the new NHS111.
“The ambulance service is also badly hit by the bottleneck, with too many paramedics forced to spend time waiting outside A&E because they cannot admit patients.
“The cuts in local government social care have added to the problem with help for the elderly in the community woefully under resourced. This has led to elderly patients being stuck on wards, instead of being discharged with a care package at home. This leads to blockages in A&E because of bed shortages throughout the hospital.
“The Government should stop shedding crocodile tears over the NHS. It is time they recognised that their own policies are adding to the problems and they must give the NHS the resources it needs to get on with the job.”
