“Patients on trolleys in Emergency Department corridors have been forgotten” – RCEM responds to government’s Autumn Budget.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) says that the government has taken some positive steps to bolster the NHS – but the Autumn Budget doesn’t offer anything to address extremely long waiting times and so called ‘corridor care’ in Emergency Departments.
Emergency Departments (EDs) are under extreme pressure with additional stresses to come over winter. The emergency care system is in dire need of support from the government to continue providing safe and effective care.
Related to the NHS, the Chancellor’s main pledges were:
- 250 new NHS Neighbourhood Health Centres across England so people can get better, faster care. 120 will be operational by 2030.
- £300 million of additional capital investment in NHS technology to boost productivity, support staff and improve patient outcomes, driving the shift from analogue to digital.
Dr Ian Higginson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “Patients on trolleys in Emergency Department corridors have been forgotten in the Autumn Budget.
“It states the government is committed to protecting and strengthening the NHS. But this must include emergency care – something which hasn’t been mentioned a single time in the document.
“While we welcome any move to improve care in the community, as well as driving down waiting lists for planned care, patients needing emergency care must not be forgotten about. We cannot fix the health service, without fixing one of the most important parts.
“Patients will still come through our doors, and the sickest and most vulnerable are more likely to wait incredibly long hours, often in trolleys in corridors and other inappropriate spaces. Long waits are degrading and dangerous for patients, and they are associated with excess deaths. Surely that’s worth investing in?
“Last month, over 164,800 patients in England alone endured a wait of 12 hours or more to be admitted, discharged or transferred from major EDs. Last year, 1,731,737 patients did. This is beyond unacceptable and is happening because the system is in crisis.
“Politicians must make sure there is still enough effort made towards improving patient safety and prevent skilled staff, who are fed up with the lack of investment and action, from leaving the profession.
“We are deeply concerned about the state of our EDs heading into winter and are left with little confidence that we can provide the high standard of care our patients deserve. With each successive failure to act by the government our confidence falls even further.
“RCEM urges the government to bear in mind how essential urgent and emergency care is to all our communities – now and into the future. Those of our members and their colleagues who are left standing will always be there for our patients, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but they should be supported by the government in this.”
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