4th October 2021

Shortage of staff biggest threat to backlog
Health Foundation: “The NHS in England has 94,000 vacancies, including for 9,691 doctors and 38,952 nurses. Personnel shortages are the biggest threat to the NHS’s quest to tackle the backlog.”

Cancer patients missing out on crucial care
This HSJ article is behind a paywall, but in essence it’s the shortage of trained nurses that is the cause. Health outcomes and in some cases survival chances are worse. Excessive workloads mean many nurses have no time for patients and their families to ask important questions or raise concern.

NHS Bill: absence of informed debate
An excellent briefing by KONP , who say “We have been shocked at the absence of informed debate and opposition from politicians to a Bill that will undermine public control and provision of the NHS as a national health service aiming to provide comprehensive, universal treatment and care in response to need…”

NHS Bill: deceit behind secondary legislation
NHS England’s Interim Guidance contains fundamental changes that ought to be part of parliamentary and media consideration. “Why does the guidance not specify that “providers” means “NHS providers”? Probably because “System partners” is code for private companies, charities and voluntary sector organisations”.