Winter flu outbreak threatens to trigger NHS ‘meltdown’ across packed and cash-strapped hospitals
The lack of funds means trusts will soon be forced to make drastic cutbacks
CASH-strapped hospitals are so packed that a winter flu outbreak could trigger a meltdown, claims England’s top hospital boss.
Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said they face the “greatest challenge in a generation”.
He warned the “deepest [cash] squeeze” in the health service’s history is making it “impossible” to keep up standards.
And said the lack of funds means trusts will soon be forced to make drastic cutbacks.
Mr Hopson also warns GPs are being “overwhelmed” by rising demand.
It comes as a new poll of hospital bosses shows three in four are struggling with staff shortages.
A similar number warn services will go downhill in the next six months.
In a speech in Birmingham today, Mr Hopson will warn the NHS faces a similar crisis to the prison service.
Unless extra cash is found, hospitals face a “long slow decline” – including longer waiting lists, greater rationing, and troubled social care provision.
It follows claims jails are now at risk of descending into a “bloodbath”.
Speaking to the NHS Providers Annual Conference, Mr Hopson will say: “Seven years into the longest and deepest financial squeeze in NHS history, we have run up a record provider sector deficit.
“The sector is missing nearly all its performance targets.
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“Providers [hospital and ambulance trusts] simply cannot deliver all that they are being asked to deliver on the funding available.”
NHS Providers represents NHS acute, ambulance, community and mental health services.
A&Es are now treating 1.6 million more patients annually than five years ago.
In the same period, ambulance trusts are now dealing with a million more calls a year.
And trusts are seeing 1.1 million more non-urgent admissions annually.
Nigel Edwards from the Nuffield Trust said: “It is very worrying that almost three-quarters of NHS Trust leaders don’t think they have enough or the right type of staff to give their patients high quality care.”
And he said Brexit seem to fuelling staffing problems.
Dr Mark Porter, head of the British Medical Association, said: “Things are getting worse and that financial pressures, staff shortages, and a lack of long-term planning have hit access to NHS services and the quality of patient care.
The sector is missing nearly all its performance targets
“We desperately need a plan to put the NHS on a sustainable, long-term footing.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: “The NHS is treating a record number of patients and is making clear progress to balance the books – achievements that wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated workforce.”