DAUK co-chair Dr Matt Kneale writes about NHS staffing problems in The Guardian.
In his letter to The Guardian, Dr Kneale says, “One would hope that the initial reaction to the grim state of affairs outlined in your special report would be one of abject horror and shock (‘Like a horrific board game’: 33 hours inside an NHS in crisis, 13 December). Instead, NHS workers from all over the country will read about these experiences with a great sense of familiarity and, to some degree, apathy.
As doctors, we have been shouting from the rooftops about the inability to retain staff and the impact of Covid mismanagement. We have repeatedly called for policies to improve staff retention (through greater pay and conditions) and increase recruitment – this has been ignored and the issue pushed further into the long grass.
Without such changes, the exodus of staff who are burnt out and feeling neglected will continue. There needs to be short-, medium- and long-term plans to immediately tackle retention and improve patient outcomes.”
Read the full story here.
