30 October 2024
Today’s budget represents a good first step on the road to rebuilding the NHS but Emergency Department staff and patients are still facing a very bleak winter.
That’s the message from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine after Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP delivered the government’s budget today (30 October 2024).
Despite committing significant investment in the health service, the Autumn Statement failed to include any additional support for the colder months when Emergency Departments experience an inevitable spike in demand.
Related to the NHS, the Chancellor’s key pledges were:
The statement also included a pledge of £26m to open new Mental Health Crisis Units with the stated aim of easing pressure on Emergency Departments.
Dr Ian Higginson, Vice President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “We commend the government’s ambition to start rebuilding the NHS which has been clear from the Darzi Review, the national public consultation, and willingness to invest in health and social care in today’s budget.
“The commitment to increase the number of beds in the system is welcome, although we need to see the detail and time frames as we know at least 10,000 beds are needed now to improve patient safety and reduce long waits in our departments. We’ve also got to remember that buildings don’t just appear, whilst equipment and beds need staff.
“Additionally, it must be ensured that while the health service is bolstered, social care is not left behind. We cannot fix one without fixing the other.
“While today’s budget offers a range of investment plans, from our perspective the elephant in the room is that there was absolutely nothing aimed at mitigating the looming winter crisis we are facing in our EDs, and no discernible direction of travel for what will happen in future winters.
“As you read this, vulnerable patients will be stranded on trolleys in corridors in A&Es across the country. This will only be exacerbated over the next few months.
“Long waits are not only degrading for people who are seeking emergency care, they are dangerous. We know they are associated with excess deaths. They are also one of the main reasons skilled staff are choosing to leave emergency medicine, and the NHS.
“The health secretary acknowledged this week that people will continue to receive care in corridors this winter, and that there would continue to be deaths associated with long stays in EDs. To seemingly just accept this is shocking and deeply disheartening for clinicians whose main aim is to offer patients timely, effective and dignified care. We cannot do the same.
“We are deeply concerned about how bad things will get before the measures announced today start to have any sort of affect. The scale of any impact is uncertain.
Referencing the funding settlements for the devolved nations also announced today, Dr Higginson said: “The Chancellor has increased the money available to the governments of Wales and Scotland, and to the Northern Ireland Executive.
“We urge them to now ensure the funding to their health and social care sectors will be increased to address their own crises.
“As we head towards winter, we look forward to hearing the plans to ensure patients receive the care they rightfully deserve, and our members want to provide.”
