Overview of The 2016 2017 Winter Crisis

Overview of The 2016/2017 Winter Crisis

How bad was the Winter Crisis ?

British Medical Council chairman Dr Mark Porter said: “We already know that we have an overstretched and underfunded National Health Service (NHS) that is failing to keep up with rising demand and the figures confirm it is getting worse year on year”. The statement came after the figures disclosing the condition of patients who have waited for more than 12 hours for their turn has tripled from 43,209 to 111,498 cases. 

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt was noted saying that one out of three patients attending the A&E are totally fit and don't need to be there. The statement came after the figure of A&E's surging attendances depicting a 12% rise in the period from January to March 2016. “These figures demonstrate that we don't have enough acute hospital beds or enough social care for a growing and ageing population” as per Vice President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Chris Moulton.

On numerical terms, the attendance of younger patients is 78% which states that patients above the age of 65 who are eventually in need are being neglected and forced to wait in their trolleys for hours. Lat year the assessment time was said to be 11 minutes in which patients left A&E within two hours and 40 minutes after arriving but the attendance has risen with an increase of more than 700,000 cases in a year. 

Hence, the overall facts and figures disclose the drowning conditions of NHS due to lack of staff, hospital beds and support.

What are the causes of Winter Crisis?

Bed blocking is said to the key reason of Winter crisis as the patients occupying the beds in the hospital for longer terms and duration have nowhere to accommodate after they are discharged. Hence, it in a result is a debt-side for the National Health Service (NHS). 

Another factor adding to the list of Winter crisis is the number or risen attendance of people with unnecessary issues to A&E. The futile trips to A&E force the people in need waiting for hours for their turn.
 
NHS's funding is falling with time which in terms is affecting the countries medical sector as about 25% of all hospital spends on the terminal illness of the patient in their last three months. NHS's 70% spending goes in looking after patients with more than one chronic condition/ long-term illness. It was noted that patients with the age of 70 or more are prone to the long term illness. Respectively, National Health Service spends almost all its income in providing expensive healthcare to its patients. 

Therefore, In order to avoid another Winter Crisis in 2017/2018, NHS should execute a plan to avoid a similar situation.  

How can Locum doctors help the NHS?

Efficient utilization of resources including medical professionals is the key step in this situation. NHS should consider employing appropriate level of staff to tackle the crisis. Locum doctors, nurses and other allied healthcare professional can help if they are booked in advance .