Commenting today (19 December) on current pressures across the NHS and social care, Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “There is an increasingly intolerable strain on NHS and social care services.
“Strikes from healthcare colleagues reflect the despair that many are feeling struggling to provide adequate patient care currently.
“The upcoming week is likely to be particularly tough for those working in urgent and emergency care.
“Acute medicine teams will continue to strive to provide safe patient care using their tremendous skills in Acute Medical Units (AMUs), Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) and supporting the acute care system.
“We continue to take great pride in the work our teams are doing. We are not currently providing the standards of care we hope to deliver; but at all times patient safety and care is at our core.
“We will work tirelessly to support patients and hopefully be able to discharge many patients so they can spend the Christmas holiday with their family.
“We thank our patients for their patience and understanding during this difficult time for healthcare services.”
Acute medicine deals with the immediate and early treatment of adult patients with a variety of medical conditions who present to hospital as emergencies.
The specialty receives the majority of patients admitted from A&E and helps maintain the flow of patients through emergency departments to avoid exit block, the term used when patients cannot be moved into a hospital bed.