13.09.12
Acute care needs redesign to avoid collapse – RCP
Demand on clinical services is increasing to the point where acute care is ‘on the edge’ and threatening patient safety, unless major redesign happens now, according to a new report.
The Royal College of Physicians has published new evidence suggesting there are a third fewer general and acute beds now than 25 years ago, whilst the last decade has seen a 37% increase in emergency admissions. Additionally, 65% of people admitted to hospital are over 65 years old, adding more complications to their care.
The RCP has highlighted a lack of continuity of care as its biggest concern, with older patients sometimes being subjected to several moves during a hospital stay, with no handover between staff.
Staff are also under the impression that older patients “shouldn’t be there”, research shows, harming the quality of care as well as building attitudes of resentment,
The new report calls for all patients to be treated with dignity at all times, a redesign of services to better meet patients’ needs, and improved access to primary care. This redesign could involve consolidation of hospital services and lead to hospital closures, the RCP has confirmed.
Sir Richard Thompson, president of the RCP said: “One doctor told me that his trust does not function well at night or at the weekend and he is ‘relieved’ that nothing catastrophic has happened when he arrives at work on Monday morning. This is no way to run a health service.
“Excellent care must be available to patients at all times of the day and night. We call on government, the medical profession and the wider NHS to work together to address these problems.”
Suzie Hughes, chair of the Royal College of Physicians Patient and Carer Network added: “Hospitals are struggling to allocate beds that are appropriate for the patient’s condition when admitted to hospital because there are not enough beds. On top of this, diagnostic services are unavailable or in extremely short supply during out of hours, weekends and at bank holidays. All the while, hospitals are expected to run services with fewer and fewer trained staff.”
The report is at www.rcplondon.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/hospitals-on-the-edge-report.pdf
For more on the ageing population in the NHS, see the Sept/Oct edition of NHE.
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