30 May 2017

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh has today set out its healthcare priorities for the incoming UK Government ahead of next month’s General Election. The College represents members working in hospitals throughout the UK and around the world, with a significant proportion working in the NHS in England.

The College’s members have identified four priority areas to ensure safe, patient-centred, high quality medical care and improve public health, and calls on the incoming UK Government to prioritise the following measures to simplify the complex NHS landscape in England:

  • Funding for a sustainable future: A radical rethink is required to declutter the many costly initiatives that are hindering the NHS in England and address the unprecedented challenges that are impacting on the workforce and, ultimately, on patient care. A working group should be set up as a matter of urgency to find solutions to alleviate the pressures faced across the NHS.
  • Investing in the workforce: Investment in our current and future workforce is essential both financially and to create a culture where colleagues have the time to care, time to train, and time to research. Workforce planning needs a clear strategic direction to tackle the recruitment and retention issues that exist. The Government must value the role of EU nationals during and post Brexit negotiations, as well as recognising the contribution made to our NHS from healthcare professionals from other overseas countries.
  • Health and social care: Improve progress towards health and social care integration to improve flow and hospital discharge and ensure patients receive the most appropriate care for their needs.
  • Health and wellbeing: Prioritise the prevention of obesity through measures such as the reduction of food portion and pack sizes; stronger controls on price promotions; and promotion of the sugary drinks tax.

Professor Derek Bell, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said:

“Our members working in the NHS in England are facing unprecedented challenges as they strive to deliver the best possible patient care on a daily basis. Decades of reform in the NHS in England have resulted in a very complex management system plagued by many costly initiatives that are not based on evidence and do not have a clear strategic plan. It is time for a radical rethink to declutter these initiatives and address the unprecedented challenges that are impacting on the workforce and, ultimately, on patient care.

“This College calls on the UK Government to set up a working group involving the Royal Colleges, healthcare practitioners, patients, the public, and politicians alike as a matter of urgency to find solutions to alleviate the pressures faced across the NHS. Sharing best practice between the UK Government, the devolved Governments and those delivering care can help create an environment that supports all those working within the NHS.

“The Government must ensure that initiatives that are being pursued in the NHS have strong evidence to support them, are thoroughly evaluated for outcome, and will lead to solid and sustainable improvements in the long term, particularly as we move towards the further integration of health and social care. Investment in our current and future workforce is essential, both financially and to create a culture where colleagues have the time to care, time to train, and time to research.

“Much remains to be clarified about the impact of Brexit on our healthcare system and workforce and we call on the Government to ensure that the voice of both patients and medical professionals is recognised by policy makers at the heart of these negotiations.

“We acknowledge the funding challenges that the NHS faces but believe that by rethinking our approach to focus on long-term and sustainable solutions, we can achieve a world-class workforce delivering the best possible patient care safely.”

 

Notes

  1. Health Priorities 2017 and a Summary are published today.