Challenges Faced by the NHS Through the Winter Months

In the last few months, there has been continual coverage around the state of the NHS and how it will cope, with particularly hard winters. Leading doctors have stated that the NHS is facing difficulties each year when it comes to the colder winter months with predicted spikes in illnesses each year.

It has also recently emerged that annual figures for written complaints about NHS services in England have risen by nearly 5% compared to previous years (around 571 complaints per day throughout the UK.) Complaints rose roughly 9.7% about the care and service received at GP surgeries and dental practices, with over 83% related to patient’s frustration with GPs.

Why are health professionals concerned that this is going to be worse than any other winter in recent years, after all, running a doctor’s surgery or dental practice is challenging no matter the time of year. The challenges faced through the winter months by the NHS however, are mostly related to these issues in particular:

• Increased demand
• Funding challenges on the wider service
• Organisational challenges

NHS hospital chiefs have stated there is a need for additional funding from the government in order to fund extra beds and staff this winter. There have also been warnings that there looks to be a £30 billion requirement for funding for the NHS by 2020 if the financial pressure, patient demand and current challenges remain as they currently do.

It is clear that doctors, dentists, and the wider NHS have some difficult few months ahead with repeated complaints of a severe lack of capacity and funding. Whether lessons have been learnt from previously difficult winters remains to be seen.