Extra NHS funding also needs workforce boost

Health unions have welcomed the Treasury’s announcement of £5.9 billion capital funding to help tackle the backlog in the NHS, but pointed to the need for an increase in workers to make it worthwhile.

CSP (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy) chief executive Karen Middleton explained: “The extra funding is welcome, and the intention behind it is good, but the results may not address the biggest issues.

“It's hugely important to speed up diagnostics and surgery to reduce the unacceptably long time people are waiting in often excruciating pain.

“However, you need staff to operate the new equipment and carry out the surgeries and this funding does nothing to address ongoing workforce shortages. Meanwhile, doing the procedures without investing in post-operative rehab is condemning people to a poorer quality of life, as is continuing to ignore the crises in community and mental health services.”

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said: “Clarity is needed about how exactly this money will be spent in addressing the ever-growing backlog of care. Whilst it is positive that bed capacity and extra equipment have been accounted for in today’s announcement, plus funding set to be invested in IT, it’s essential that all of this is complemented by a workforce to match, and further detail is urgently needed on this.”

https://www.csp.org.uk/news/2021-10-25-csp-welcomes-nhs-funding-calls-workforce-boost

https://www.bma.org.uk/bma-media-centre/chancellor-s-pledge-of-59bn-to-tackle-backlog-must-be-matched-by-a-workforce-to-deliver-says-bma