Emergency doctors are raising concerns over the approaching winter crisis, with nearly all medics fearing that patients are at risk in stretched A&E departments. A snapshot survey conducted by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine found that 87% of doctors are not confident their departments will cope well over the winter months, and 41% feel less prepared compared to last year.
More than four-fifths of respondents reported that patients were being cared for in corridors, with over half seeing patients forced to wait outside in ambulances. The president of RCEM, Dr Adrian Boyle, warned that a massive crisis is looming if additional funding is not provided to ease pressures in A&E departments, such as increasing bed numbers and improving support for social care.
NHS England has been working to prepare for the winter, including vaccination programs for respiratory syncytial virus, flu, and Covid. However, data released in October showed a significant increase in patients waiting 12 hours or more in major emergency departments, with over 2.36 million A&E attendances.
The Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the concerns of healthcare staff and highlighted the government’s efforts to boost NHS funding. Despite the challenges, they are working with trusts to better prepare for the winter and are committed to building a healthcare system that is resilient year-round.
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