Nurse!?

According to The Observer today, more than 220 planned operations a day were cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice in the first quarter this year – more than at any time in the last 10 years.

Even worse, 5.6% of them don’t get another slot within 28 days.

Of course, it’s all our fault as patients for clogging up Accident and Emergency – because it’s A and E operations that have taken the beds needed for the planned operations. The operating theatres are there, the surgeons are waiting – all dressed up with nowhere to go.

Last week they were telling us that the problem at A and E was because GP’s weren’t doing night work so we were all going down to the hospital needlessly.

In fact, as the figures show, the people going to A and E usually need to be there. And now we know that more and more of them need emergency operations and then a bed. Suddenly, there aren’t enough beds. What that really means is that there aren’t enough nurses because there are plenty of empty wards and they have beds in them – but beds need nurses.

Also, with all the closures of A and E’s, it turns out there aren’t enough A and E’s either, but then you need 10 consultants for each A and E, and most haven’t got them.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

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