- The RCN will today deliver a petition to Downing Street – signed by 100,000 members of the public, nursing staff and patients – calling for the Prime Minister to pay nursing staff fairly
As the Prime Minister marks his 100th day in office, official NHS data reveals the additional pressure in the NHS.
- Over 10,000 more patients a month are regularly waiting over 12 hours for treatment in A&E since Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister. The numbers have also soared compared to the previous year, with just under 55,000 waiting over 12 hours in December 2022 compared to around 13,000 in December 2021.
- Bed occupancy in adult general and acute care this winter is 9-11% above levels deemed safe, and higher than it was around the same period in the previous year.
- Since the PM took office nearly 400 extra patients on average each day have been stuck in hospital, unable to access the care they need in the community to return home. And total figures show that, compared to the previous year, more patients are stuck in hospital who are fit enough to be discharged.
- The most recent data also shows 6.9 million were waiting for NHS treatment in England as of November 2022 – almost one million more than the previous year.
The College is warning the Prime Minister on his 100th day in office that the NHS is deteriorating rapidly on his watch, impacting the nation’s health and in turn the economy. Poor health and unprecedented NHS waiting lists are forcing people out of work, impacting economic productivity.
Yet despite promising to make the NHS one of his top priorities, the College says the Prime Minister is yet to even begin to solve the crisis in NHS – and in the next 100 days he must start by paying nursing staff fairly to solve the huge workforce vacancies engulfing health and care services.
Public support has been strong in the ongoing pay dispute, and today the RCN is handing in a petition to 10 Downing Street which has been signed by 100,000 members of the public, nurses and patients who are calling for the Prime Minister to pay nursing staff fairly.
RCN Director for England Patricia Marquis said:
“Since he took office, the Prime Minister has failed to deliver on his promises to the NHS and is letting it deteriorate rapidly.
“More people are waiting in A&E, more patients are stuck in hospitals unable to access the care at home they need, and bed occupancy rates remain at dangerous levels. People are also having to wait longer to access mental health services when demand has never been greater.
“Patients are not dying because nurses are striking. Nurses are striking because patients are dying.
“Our members have a mandate to take strike action for another 100 days – and the Prime Minister would do well to see these strikes for what they are: a warning of the need for swift action.
“The Prime Minister is letting down the nation’s health, millions of patients, and ultimately the economy. An ill and untreated population cannot work and contribute to the economic recovery that everybody wants to see.”
Nurse practitioner and RCN member Carmel O'Boyle said:
“In the 100 days that Rishi Sunak has been Prime Minister, I’ve treated well over a thousand patients. I’ve done dressings, analysed X-rays, given injections and shots, fished glass and dirt out of wounds after a patient has had a fall, treated infections and managed medications.
“I’ve dealt with aggressive patients, people having a mental health crisis and patients with complex learning disabilities who present challenging behaviour. I’ve devised countless diagnosis and treatment plans after a full examination of each patient. I’ve had to impart bad news, and sometimes happier news.
"That’s what I’ve done for the NHS and my patients in the last 100 days in a team that is always short-staffed – what has the Prime Minister done to solve the crisis we’re in?”
Nursing staff are preparing to strike again next Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 February.
Poor pay contributes to staff shortages across the UK, affecting patient safety. In the last year, over 25,000 nursing staff around the UK left the Nursing and Midwifery Council register. There are over 47,000 unfilled registered nurse posts in England’s NHS alone.
Ends
Notes to Editors
In October 2022 there were 43,792 patients spending over 12 hours waiting in A&E for treatment. The most recent data available, from December 2022, shows that this figure had increased to 54,532 – an increase of 10,740 patients. In October 2021 there were 7,058 patients spending over 12 hours waiting in A&E for treatment and by December 2021 this had risen to 12,859 – an increase of 5,801 patients. Statistics » A&E Attendances and Emergency Admissions 2022-23 (england.nhs.uk). Data is for England only.
At the start of winter, a daily average for the week commencing 14 November 2022 indicated that 13,179 patients fit enough to be discharged from NHS acute hospitals could not be due to a lack of social and community care provision. In the week commencing 16 January 2023, the daily average had reached 13,566 patients. This means on average each day 387 extra patients have been stuck in hospital since the Prime Minister took office. Comparing to the previous winter, the data shows that at the start of winter (the closest comparison is week commencing 29 November 2021) there were 10,510 patients fit enough to be discharged. By the week commencing 17 January 2022, this rose by a daily average of 2,309 (for the week) to 12,819. Statistics » Urgent and Emergency Care Daily Situation Reports 2022-23 (england.nhs.uk). Data is for England only.
Total adult general and acute average bed occupancy rates were at 95% in the week commencing 14 November 2022 and remained at 95% in the week commencing 16 January 2023. This is well above the 85% recognised by the National Audit Office and the Royal College for Emergency Medicine for hospitals to work safely and effectively. In the previous year, data from the week commencing 29 November 2021 shows the total adult general and acute average bed occupancy rate was 94%, and by week commencing 17 January it was 93%. Statistics » Urgent and Emergency Care Daily Situation Reports 2022-23 (england.nhs.uk). Data is for England only.
6.93 million people were waiting for NHS treatment in England as of November 2022. This is around 930,000 more people than November 2021. Statistics » Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times Data 2022-23 (england.nhs.uk)
Nearly 1 in 5 50-65 year-olds who left their job since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (and not returned) in England, Scotland and Wales are on NHS waiting lists, rising to over 1 in 3 for those who left due to poor health such as stress, mental health, illness or disability (Office for National Statistics, 2022). Reasons for workers aged over 50 years leaving employment since the start of the coronavirus pandemic - Office for National Statistics
Researchers at London Economics, commissioned by the RCN, found that the Exchequer would recoup 81% of the initial outlay in terms of higher tax receipts and savings on future recruitment and retention costs. The report can be found here.
Today the RCN is handing in a petition to 10 Downing Street which has been signed by 100,000 members of the public, nurses and patients. The full letter reads:
Prime Minister,
The NHS is the bedrock of modern Britain. And it is crumbling.
Nursing staff make up more than half of the NHS workforce, and they are pushed beyond their limits. Care is not safe and the public pays the price.
For the first time in our history, Royal College of Nursing members in every part of the UK are considering industrial strike action. Our patients are our priority – and we will advocate for them.
Over six million people are waiting for care.
Patients are stuck in the back of queuing ambulances.
All because we do not have enough staff.
This year is worse than ever. Our members told us about the last shift they worked – 8 in 10 said the care given to patients was compromised because there were not enough nursing staff on shift.
Unfair pay is forcing too many to leave. Over 25,000 nurses left last year alone.
Without nursing staff, there will be no NHS.
Patients deserve better. They deserve safe and effective care. They deserve dignity.
They should not have to fear in their lowest moments that their nurse won’t be there.
On behalf of the nursing profession, I implore you to see sense. Protect nursing to protect the public.
Nursing staff will always speak up for patients – when will you speak up for us, and the people we care for?
Sincerely,
Pat Cullen
RCN General Secretary & Chief Executive
