12
Accepted in Part
The University of Manchester’s Voices of COVID-19 project has interviewed over 2,000 NHS staff to...
Conclusion
The University of Manchester’s Voices of COVID-19 project has interviewed over 2,000 NHS staff to provide a national collection of testimonies in partnership with the British Library. This evidence highlights the concerns of frontline NHS staff regarding the public dissatisfaction they face and the NHS’s lack of capacity to deal with backlogs of care. The submission stated that since summer 2021 interviewees had described less tolerance from patients for delays in treatment and appointments, and patients becoming less understanding about the continued impact of COVID-19 on the NHS’s ability to provide healthcare.28 Sadly, there had also been increasing evidence of some patients complaining to and verbally abusing NHS staff. We heard from NHSE&I that it was concerned about how exhausted many NHS staff were and that it was seeking to support staff wellbeing.29 Specifically for GPs, the Department told us that it was making investments so that GPs could more quickly access specialist advice to help them support their patients.30
Government Response Summary
The government agreed with the committee's observation, stating that better patient information and support is central to the Elective Recovery Plan and highlighted the launch and planned expansion of the My Planned Care platform to provide personalized support and information to patients awaiting treatment.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date Spring 2023 4.2 Delivery of the Elective Recovery Plan, and the initiatives deployed to achieve it, will be closely monitored by both the department and NHSE&I. Please also refer to response to recommendation 1. 4.3 Better information and support for patients is a key part of the Elective Recovery Plan. Providing people and their carers with information and personalised support is central to that ambition and the overall recovery plan. The department and NHSE&I aim to enable people to make informed decisions and be more in control of managing their own care, to reduce the impact of waiting for treatment and supporting recovery after treatment. 4.4 In February 2022, NHSE&I launched the My Planned Care platform. This platform allows patients and their carers to access information ahead of their planned appointment, operation, or treatment. The platform will be expanded in the coming months to include personalised information and support for patients on the waiting list to help them stay well while they wait, including advice on how best to manage symptoms. 4.5 On prioritisation, the NHS is prioritising diagnosis and treatment according to clinical urgency and is working to reduce the longest waits as part of the Elective Recovery Plan.
Source
Committee
Public Accounts Committee
Inquiry
NHS Backlogs and waiting times
Report
Forty-Fourth Report - NHS backlogs and waiting times in England
16 Mar 2022
HC 747
Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age
4.4 yrs
Report published
16 Mar 2022