The Royal College of Physicians has responded to the latest NHS England performance data.
Responding to the latest NHSE performance data, Dr John Dean, clinical vice president of the Royal College of Physicians, said:
'The latest NHS England performance data continues to show the intense pressures facing the health and care system and staff. With the overall waiting list rising again, and continued delays for the right care, there remain huge demands for an already over-stretched medical workforce, and potentially harmful delays patients.
'Demand across emergency departments in particular remains at a high, with the most attendances for any July on record. Nearly 40,000 patients waited for more than 12 hours for admission, with many having to receive acute medical care by physicians in inappropriate environments. This is not surprising given that there has been a reduction in the number of the beds available, and 20% of patients have extended hospital stays with half of these having on average 6 days unnecessary stays in hospital.
'This is why we have worked with Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) to provide a new set of principles for acute patient care, outlining practical guidance to improve patient flow and inter-specialty working in acute care services. The principles bring together a wealth of previous guidance into one comprehensive resource. We encourage clinical leaders, across various specialities, to collaborate with operational teams to implement these principles, to identify gaps and inadequacies, and ultimately, deliver better care for patients.
'As we have seen from this week’s GMC’s report and our recent consultant physician census, these pressures are having a direct impact on doctors. They are overworked, becoming increasingly disillusioned and now even taking the incredibly difficult decision to reduce their hours to avoid burnout and safeguard their ability to deliver for patients. The demands they face are unsustainable - addressing this constant pressure requires urgent attention.'