The CEO of the NHS has described the financial state of the health service as a “f nightmare.”
Yesterday, NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard made the remarks during a closed-door meeting with local NHS executives in London.
According to the Health Service Journal, after her colorful portrayal of the NHS’s finances, she stressed that the matter was being addressed on a national level and that regional managers should not be distracted by it (HSJ).
Her remarks come amid alarming forecasts that next year’s rising inflation will cost the NHS an additional £7 billion.
They said, however, that the comment was followed by a directive to NHS officials to not worry about it and instead focus on patient care.
Ms. Pritchard reportedly stated, “It is your responsibility to do everything possible to improve patient services.”
She also warned local NHS officials that despite the many constraints facing the system, the health sector “must not conclude with defeatism.
Her remarks were made on the same day that it was reported that more than seven million individuals in England are currently on the waiting list for common NHS procedures such as hip and knee replacements.
The NHS’s devastating monthly performance statistics also revealed that more than 30,000 patients endured record-high 12-hour waits in A&E.
Meanwhile, doctors on the front lines said that patients in certain regions of the country now face eight-hour ambulance wait times.
Reports indicate that Ms. Pritchard’s expletive-laced description of the situation, along with reassurances, was favorably received.
One local chief executive told HSJ that Ms. Pritchard’s speech was “brave and impassioned,” and that he sensed her displeasure regarding the NHS’s abilities to combat health inequities and promote prevention.
Her remarks followed statistics indicating that the NHS’s building maintenance backlog in England has ballooned to £10,2 billion.
This represents an 11% increase since 2020/21 in the overall repair bill, with £1.8 billion designated as ‘high risk’ concerns requiring immediate expenditure.
This is defined by the NHS as “work required to prevent catastrophic failure, severe interruption to clinical services, or safety flaws likely to result in serious harm and/or prosecution.”
Additional £3.5 billion is required for “substantial risk” repairs, which “need priority management and investment in the short term so as not to generate unnecessary worry to statutory enforcement bodies or risk to healthcare delivery or safety.”
Last week, the chief of NHS England’s finances, Julian Kelly, warned the health service could be forced to decrease cancer, mental health, and GP services to reduce spending by £20billion over the next three years due to escalating inflation.
The warning sparked fears that a “financial shock of this size” could derail attempts to reduce the 7 million-strong waiting list.
Mr. Kelly stated that the NHS will need to save approximately £14 billion, which is partial because of the additional funds gained to combat Covid.
He stated that ‘possible continued inflation’ could result in an additional £6-7 billion in cost pressures next year.
Ms. Pritchard’s remarks are the second offhand remark by a senior health official in the past twenty-four hours.
As the possibility of devastating strikes inches closer, Health Secretary Thérèse Coffey stated late yesterday that nurses dissatisfied with their wages are free to leave the National Health Service.
She has previously stated that the government will not provide more funds to avoid the first-ever nationwide nurse strike.
Dr. Coffey stated that No. 10 had “already” assisted the public in coping with the cost-of-living crisis, doubling down on her statement with a further slur. In actuality, she claimed, nurses have also been offered $1,400.
Union leaders are requesting that nurses receive a pay raise of at least 5% over the current inflation rate of 12.3%.
This would add £6,150 to the typical nurse’s annual salary, which according to the government is approximately £35,600. However, submitting to the union might cost taxpayers an additional $1 billion.
Dr. Coffey told the Evening Standard, in response to a question regarding British nurses leaving the country for countries such as Australia in search of higher income, that they are welcome to leave and that the United Kingdom can recruit more nurses from outside.
‘Of course, it is their choice if they like to do that,’ she continued. However, we also have an open-door policy for professional staff members to enter the country.
Last Monday, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) began asking its 300,000 NHS-employed members to vote for strike action for the first time in the organization’s 106-year existence.
The voting period ends on November 2.
