Healthcare delivery
social care. This opportunity must be grasped to ensure fairer care for everyone – so people get the care they need, not just the care they can afford.”
Response to the report Responding to the State of Care report, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Rob Behrens, said: “This report makes for extremely difficult reading. It echoes widespread concerns about people’s access to and experience of healthcare, particularly around maternity and mental health services where too many patients are at risk. Too much of the current provision is ineffective at assisting those who need care most. “When the system fails and things go wrong, people are entitled to raise concerns. Their voices must be heard and acted upon. Sadly, as this evidence-based report shows, this isn’t always the case. The NHS needs to embed a genuine learning culture to prevent the same mistakes from happening again, but we also need implementation of long-term workforce planning with cross-party support. “Our healthcare system can’t keep up with the rising demand for care. With more and more people having to turn to private healthcare a two-tiered health system has been created where, too often, only those who can afford it, are able to be treated quickly.” Tim Gardner, Assistant Director of Policy at the Health Foundation, added: “Long-term underfunding and chronic staffing shortages
This report makes for extremely difficult reading. It echoes widespread concerns about people’s access to and experience of healthcare, particularly around maternity and mental health services where too many patients are at risk. Too much of the current provision is ineffective at
assisting those who need care most. Rob Behrens, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
across health and social care mean that many people are going without the care they need. Those who can afford to are increasingly turning to private care while others are having to rely on family and friends. Unpaid carers are now spending longer caring for loved ones, potentially widening inequalities as those who provide the highest levels of unpaid care are more likely to come from lower-income households. “Given that public support for government
policies on the NHS and social care is low, this report should be a wake-up call for policymakers. As we head towards the next general election, the main political parties must set out concrete plans for addressing the underlying causes of these pressures – including investing in and reforming our broken social care system.” The Royal College of Midwives’ Chief Executive, Gill Walton, said that the CQC report “doesn’t pull
any punches” and highlights in stark detail the warnings that the RCM has been sounding “over and over again”. “There are challenges supporting midwifery leaders, poor communication with women and their families and many unfilled vacancies. This is on top of long waiting times, anxious patients and demoralised staff. At the heart of the problem are staff shortages and the struggle to recruit and retain staff. This is impacting on patient care. We recently estimated that the shortfall of midwives in England is around 2500. This can’t be allowed to continue,” commented Gill Walton. “Despite numerous warnings, and the raft
of policy initiatives and programmes in recent years, maternity care ratings are getting worse. This is not a reflection of the people that work in maternity services, far from it. They are dedicated, compassionate and working long hours, including unpaid overtime to support women and their families. “Instead, the findings expose the legacy of a continued lack of investment in maternity services. More must be done urgently to retain staff and train new ones to ease the burden on overworked midwives and maternity support workers. All the evidence shows that babies that thrive during pregnancy have a better start in life – and so much of that is dependent on good maternity care. If we work together and the Government invests the funds now then mothers and their families will reap the rewards in the future,” she concluded. To download the full report, visit:
www.cqc.org.uk CSJ
References 1.
https://www.cqc.org.uk/publications/major- report/state-care/2022-2023
2.
https://www.cqc.org.uk/publication/state- care-202122
3.
https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/blog/2023-07- 31/hidden-wait-cancer-care
4.
https://www.maggies.org/about-us/news/ the-mental-challenge-of-cancer-3-in-5-people- find-it-harder-than-the-physical/
22
www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I January 2024
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
