If you’ve been following our blog over the past few months, or even just the news, you’ll be aware that the NHS is struggling to cope with demand. Now more than ever, the NHS plays an essential role in delivering care to the citizens of the nation. Well, now NHS bosses have come up with a solution! If you are an NHS patient, keep reading!
What’s the NHS Patient Demand plan?
The currently suggested solution to helping the NHS cope with demand, is that nurses, paramedics and even pharmacists should be trained up to fill in for doctors. With no end in sight to the junior doctor strikes, this could prove vital in the coming months. NHS Employers, the management body of the service, has given their approval to these proposals; believing that paramedics and other staff could strongly benefit from having more training in other areas. This would really help with NHS patient demand.
What has the reaction been to these proposals?
The reaction to the proposals has been largely positive, although not everyone is in agreement. Unions have stated that while the proposals might sound good, they shouldn’t be used as a quick fix solution to problems in the NHS. Some leaders have stated that it’s important for the changes not to come at the cost of improving the currently existing workforce, as there is no replacement for experience and hard-earned expertise. GPs, on the other hand, have welcomed the changes; stating that many are struggling to cope with the sheer number of patients coming through their doors.
How will the proposals be implemented?
NHS have conducted a think tank survey, to discover how the NHS patient workforce could be reshaped. The results included:
- Examining how various practices in the North of England have already employed pharmacists in other capacities.
- Looking at how nurses could be used to fill in for junior doctors in emergency units, and surgery.
- Exploring how paramedics can be used/trained to treat patients directly at the scene instead of needing to bring them to A&E.
- Assessing the viability of Nurses to carry out basic health checkups on patients and dealing with mental health related services.
