Professor Jane Dacre, president of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), has responded to the latest performance figures from NHS England.
In a statement released on 11 January, Professor Dacre said:
The latest performance figures from NHS England are the clearest evidence that the NHS cannot serve its patients well with our current hand-to-mouth approach to winter resources. We have the most amazing staff and have been better prepared for winter than ever before. But if we aren’t given the resources to match demand, patients and staff once again face the distress and concern of a winter crisis.
The RCP has been calling for a long-term funding settlement for the NHS for many years, and also for more funding and resources for social care, as many of the current pressures in the NHS reflect a related lack of capacity in the social care sector, particularly to support older patients with more than one medical condition.
For more information please contact RCP head of PR and public affairs Linda Cuthbertson by email on linda.cuthbertson@rcplondon.ac.uk or by telephone on +44 (0)20 3075 1254.