Commenting on an analysis of the healthcare budget in the autumn statement carried out by the Liberal Democrats, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “We share the concerns of Sarah Olney regarding the failure to prioritise health and social care spending in the autumn statement.
“By not prioritising health and social care, there is a realistic possibility of reaching the figure of nine million patients on waiting lists predicted by previous health secretary Sajid Javid.
“Recovery plans for the NHS are already behind schedule in urgent and emergency care which will mean more older patients enduring prolonged degrading periods of corridor care and many people experiencing difficult symptoms whilst they sit on elective waiting lists.
“Crisis this winter is sadly unavoidable in urgent and emergency care. The recently published Right Place, Right Care report from senior frontline clinical staff is a stark illustration of what patients and staff experienced last winter and similar scenarios are already being seen in many hospitals across the country.
“This statement does little to mitigate this, prevent it happening in future years and give patients and staff alike some light at the end of the tunnel.”