Government warned over NHS pressures
Ministers are being urged to act
The government is being warned that pressure on the NHS shows little sign of relenting.
It's as ministers come under increasing pressure to respond to the crisis.
Top medics have described the current situation as "unbearable" and "intolerable", as both the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary faced calls to address to growing concerns about the state of emergency care in the NHS.
More than a dozen NHS trusts and ambulance services declared critical incidents over the festive period, with officials citing rising flu cases and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic among the factors hitting the health service.
But amid concern that the pressure is likely to continue, the British Medical Association (BMA) said that the Government's "political choices" were leading to patients "dying unnecessarily".
Chairman of the BMA council, Professor Phil Banfield. said: "The current situation in the NHS is intolerable and unsustainable, both for our patients and the hard-working staff desperately trying to keep up with incredibly high levels of demand," he said.
"The BMA has repeatedly invited the Government to sit down and talk about the pressures on our health service, but their silence is deafening.
"It is disingenuous for the Prime Minister to talk about 'backing the NHS' in his New Year message, when his own Health Secretary is failing to discuss how this crisis can be fixed."
He called on the Government to "step up and take immediate action" to solve the crisis.
"The Government should deliver on its obligations to the public. It is just not true that the cost of resolving this mess cannot be afforded by this country.
"This is a political choice and patients are dying unnecessarily because of that choice."
The airwaves yesterday were full of similarly stark warnings, as the Royal College of Emergency Medicine repeated its claim that somewhere between 300 and 500 people are dying each week as a result of delays and problems with urgent and emergency care.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats criticised the Government for inaction over recent days, with the latter calling for Parliament to be recalled to discuss the situation.
Shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, laid the blame for the crisis at the feet of the Conservatives, who he accused of "mismanagement" of the NHS.
The Labour MP on Monday branded it "inexplicable" that neither Rishi Sunak nor any of his ministers had offered answers to the challenges facing hospitals across the UK.
"Given what we've seen throughout Christmas and the new year, not a single government minister, whether it's the Prime Minister, the Health Secretary, has raised their head or shown their face to say exactly what they are doing to grip this crisis," he said.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "NHS staff do an incredible job and we recognise the pressures the NHS is facing following the impact of the pandemic.
"That's why we've backed the NHS and social care with up to £14.1 billion additional funding over the next two years and this winter we have provided an extra £500 million to speed up hospital discharge and free up beds.
"We also awarded a 9.3% pay rise to the lowest earners in the NHS last year.
"The Health Secretary and ministers have met with unions several times and have been clear their door remains open to further discuss how we can work together to improve the working lives of NHS staff."
The story of the NHS:
NHS is established
The National Health Service was formally established in 1948 at what is now Trafford General Hospital in Manchester. The service was started by Aneurin Bevan under the government of Clement Atlee. Its aim was to create a system of free healthcare to all. One of the first patients was Sylvia Diggory, aged 13, who was suffering from a liver condition.
Prescription charges introduced
Soon after its inception, charges for prescriptions and dental care were introduced. Each prescription would cost one shilling, while dental care would require a £1 payment. Charges would eventually be dropped and then reinstated in 1968.
NHS discoveries
Throughout the 1950s, thanks to the pioneering technology the NHS was using, a number of medical advancements were made. Polio vaccinations were rolled out in the UK, the structure of DNA was found and the link between smoking and cancer was proven.
Treating new diseases
As time went on and the NHS grew, so did its capacity to look after those who were unable to be treated before. The Mental Health Act in 1983 was the first time the concept of consent was raised in treating those with mental health issues. Nurses also treated people suffering from AIDS in the late 1980s and, together with the government, helped to reduce the stigma of the disease, which primarily affected gay men.
Opening to the public
In order to cope with the increasing demand for the NHS, the structure of the service changed. In 1991, NHS Trusts were established in the first of a wave of reorganisation for the service. People would later be able to donate organs more easily with the introduction of the NHS Organ Donor Register.
Stretched resources
In the 21st century, the NHS came under pressure as a result of stretched resources. With the rising cost of medicines, the government voted to bring in longer working hours and minimal increases in pay for NHS staff in 2015. This resulted in a mass picket of junior doctors around the country for better working conditions. It was the first general strike in the NHS' history and the first instance of industrial action in 40 years. There have been further strikes in 2023
NHS during coronavirus
In 2020, a new disease named COVID-19 began to spread around the world, eventually reaching the UK at the end of January. The resulting pandemic led to NHS workers being on the frontline of the disease. Support for the NHS grew massively and during lockdowns, so-called "Claps for Carers" would take place every Thursday to thank the NHS and its staff for protecting the public during the pandemic.