'Greatest Staffing Crisis' In NHS History Leaves Patients At Risk

Government lacks a credible strategy to deal with care gaps, say MPs | ‘Greatest staffing crisis’ in NHS history leaves patients at risk, say MPs

- Denis Campbell

The NHS is facing "the greatest workforce crisis" in its history, which is putting patients at serious risk of harm, an influential group of MPs will say today.

In its report, the cross-party Commons health and social care select committee criticises the "absence of a credible government strategy" on NHS-wide understaffing and criticises ministers for delaying a blueprint it says is urgently needed to address critical gaps in almost every area of care.

The hard-hitting report includes fresh evidence showing that the staffing crisis in the NHS in England is even worse than official figures suggest.

NHS Digital figures suggest that the service has vacancies for 38,972 nurses and 8,016 doctors. However, the real figures could be as high as 50,000 and 12,000, according to estimates the Nuffield Trust health charity prepared for the MPs.

The trust's analysis accords with the view of many frontline doctors and managers that some posts are not advertised, and thus not picked up by the statistical agency NHS Digital, because hospitals cannot afford to fill them, even if suitable doctors or nurses are identified.

"We now face the greatest workforce crisis in history in the NHS and in social care, with still no idea of the number of additional doctors, nurses and other professionals we actually need," said Jeremy Hunt, the former health secretary and failed Tory leadership contender who chairs the committee.