The British health service is on the verge of collapse. Hospitals do not have enough beds for demand.
Seams are creaking in UK hospitals. As criticism of the national health care system grows, the British Medical Association (BMA) bears the brunt. In a report on bed availability, she believes the NHS “is at breaking point”. Because while demand is increasing, supply is steadily declining.
Delays in hospitalization, waiting time in the emergency room, canceled operations… The picture of the British public hospital is hardly glowing. In 15 years, the number of available beds has fallen by 20%. There are now only 2 beds per 1,000 people. In psychiatric services, it is worse: the supply has fallen by 44%. However, “the United Kingdom already has the lowest number of beds per person in Europe”, plague Dr Mark Porter, chairman of the board of the BMA.
Overcrowded beds
The consequences of these tensions were quick to emerge. Congestion is regular in the services. Last November alone, one in seven patients had to wait four hours for a bed to become available. These bottlenecks, during which demand is too high, have an unfortunate tendency to recur. Thus, each winter, the NHS takes the lead and cancels many operations.
But the problem tends to become chronic. The authorities recommend that the bed occupancy rate be around 85%. This makes it possible to face a crisis, if the need arises. Easier said than done, given the figures provided by the BMA. At least one day a week, the occupancy rate exceeds 95% in three trusts – NHS establishments – out of four.
Get your head out of the sand
“High bed occupancy is a symptom of wider pressure, over-stretched demand and an underfunded system,” says Porter. In fact, the rotation is badly carried out because the workforce does not manage to ensure the necessary rhythm. “Hospitals cannot operate at 100% occupancy, as emergency beds are needed to compensate for natural variations in demand and ensure that patients ‘navigate’ through the facility,” explains The report.
In addition to the delays in care, the tensions result in placement in unsuitable services and an increase in the risk of nosocomial disease. The British Medical Association is therefore asking for a new bed management plan “that is applicable”.
Mark Porter speaks directly to decision-makers. “In the long term, politicians need to get their heads out of the sand and provide a lasting solution to the funding and to the local difficulties that overwhelm health services,” he said.
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