Responding to the Public Accounts Committee’s report on ‘Sustainability and financial performance of acute hospital trusts’, Prof Derek Bell, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said:
“This report highlights the need to tackle the financial situation of NHS Trusts. The UK Government's plans to extend working at weekends can only be achieved with the appropriate resources and workforce structures in place. Significant additional investment is required if the NHS is to meet the demands being placed upon it.
“Recent figures have also shown that there is an urgent need to address recruitment and retention issues at all levels across the NHS. Many physicians already feel significantly undervalued as they continue to deliver safe patient care but have to struggle to fill rota gaps and cover vacancies.
“Together these issues paint a worrying picture for the future of the NHS, which I hope the Chancellor will begin to address in the Budget tomorrow.”
ENDS
Contact: Lisa Rooke, RCPE - 0131 247 3688 / 07717 895628 / l.rooke@rcpe.ac.uk
Notes to Editors
