01
Feb 2017
Top doctors warn that lack of money is putting NHS patient safety at risk
In an open letter to Teresa May and published by the British Medical Journal, 2,000 doctors have warned that because of an ‘unacceptable’ lack of NHS funding, patient safety is at risk. The letter makes reference to doctors constantly needing to apologise about the poor standard of care within hospitals and says that things ‘simply cannot continue’ as they are.
In recent weeks and as the winter crisis has brought longer waiting times and with hospitals having to turn patients away, the Government has come under increasing pressure. The Department of Health has insisted that it has provided more than the NHS has needed at a time when other public services had had their fundings cut. However, NHS England head Simon Stevens, has said that it was ‘stretching it’ to state that the NHS had been given more than it had asked for.
In the open letter, doctors argued “It is impossible to provide effective patient-led innovative healthcare which is free at the point of contact when we spend less on healthcare than other comparable OECD countries.
“This is not a political statement. Again we reiterate that we represent the most senior tier of healthcare workers and we are writing to you for the first time en masse. Do not ignore this letter and provide a response as soon as possible.”
The BMA’s chair of council Dr Mark Porter, said “The Government cannot continue to stick its head in the sand.
“Our hospitals are in the red, patients are suffering and staff are working under impossible conditions.
“The system is at breaking point and it’s not just our hospitals that are facing these issues – GPs are conducting millions more consultations every year while also facing a recruitment crisis.”
Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence compensation claims, and have obtained substantial compensation for our clients. Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.
If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.
Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.
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