RCoA response to the Queen’s Speech

Dr Fiona Donald, Vice President of the Royal College of Anaesthetists said:

“The government’s commitment to increase funding for the NHS, announced in the Queen’s Speech today, will be crucial in its ambition to jump start the pandemic recovery and build on existing healthcare services. With over four million patients awaiting elective care and the NHS workforce exhausted from their months of service, we have a steep hill to climb. The boost to investment and the pledge to deliver a preventative and technologically driven healthcare system, are a very important step on this journey. We look forward to more detail from the government over the next few months and as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

“Today’s proposed legislative plans for inclusion in the Health and Care Bill, which will include a greater focus on collaboration, integration and prevention, are positive. However, it is disappointing that we have not yet seen a commitment to long-term workforce planning, backed by funding for an increase in the number of training places to put the NHS on a sustainable footing.

“It is important to recognise that the anaesthetists and other healthcare workers so crucial to the treatment of COVID and non-COVID patients, will be the same people essential to building back services. We must be careful not to compromise the long-term sustainability of the NHS by neglecting the need for healthcare staff to recover as part of addressing the elective backlog.  It is vital we hear more information on how the government plans to address the mental and physical toll of the pandemic on NHS staff.

“It was reassuring to see the government recognise the unique opportunity it has to not only build back services but fundamentally overhaul how healthcare is delivered. In recent years, services have focused on delivering immediate, acute care. However, with deteriorating health in the United Kingdom and the knock-on effects to patients from increased waiting times, the focus on preventative care including the promise to tackle obesity is very positive. We need to deliver efficient patient centred care from public health to rehabilitation, including perioperative care pathways.

“The announcements made today are very welcome, but as with all developments in healthcare the best outcomes will be achieved when policy makers work with frontline healthcare professionals to design and deliver the best patient care. We look forward to working with the government to deliver an efficient, fair and sustainable NHS, which will support patients for years to come.”