Position Statements
Budget: “Demoralising to see barely a mention of gaping NHS funding holes” says SAM president
03 March 2021 Following today’s Budget delivered by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Dr Susan Crossland, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “While we can only hope there is more focus on the investment needed in the NHS to come in the small print and into the future, it is extremely demoralising to see barely…
Read MoreSAM pays tribute to Dr Clifford Mann
The Society for Acute Medicine is deeply saddened to learn this evening (20 Feb) of the death of Dr Cliff Mann, national clinical director for urgent and emergency care for NHS England and former president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. Cliff was a great supporter of acute medicine. He attended and spoke at…
Read MorePerformance data ‘hits home shape NHS is in’ – SAM past president
Following the release today (11 February) of the latest NHS performance data, Dr Nick Scriven, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This data really hits home what shape the NHS is in and how long the road to recovery is going to be. “A&E figures show the worst 12-hour performance since…
Read MoreSAM and Royal College of Physicians publish end-of-life care resource for hospital doctors
The Royal College of Physicians has produced a resource in collaboration with the Society for Acute Medicine to support hospital doctors in improving the care and choices provided to people at the end of their life. The End-of-life care in the acute care setting resource aims to help hospital doctors identify those patients who are in their…
Read MoreMessage of thanks ‘appreciated but recognition of multitude of issues more important’
Following a message of thanks to NHS staff delivered by NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens ahead of a visit today to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, Dr Nick Scriven, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “Although this message of thanks is appreciated, what is more important at this point is to…
Read More‘Challenges are truly daunting’ says SAM past president
Following the release today of the latest NHS performance data (14 January), Dr Nick Scriven, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This data shows exactly how dire things are with millions of people waiting to start hospital treatment and 330,000 people waiting more than six weeks for key diagnostic tests, so…
Read MoreDoctor warns of concern for welfare of staff on medical wards
A senior doctor has warned of his concern for the welfare of staff on medical wards who are dealing with increasing numbers of Covid-19 patients (07 January). Dr Nick Scriven, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said up to 90 per cent of the 30,074 Covid patients now in UK hospitals were…
Read MoreSenior medic says it is a “race against time” to vaccinate the vulnerable before new variant hits North
A senior medic has warned it is now a “race against time” to vaccinate vulnerable people and healthcare staff before the third Covid wave hits the North. Dr Nick Scriven, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, also said things could get “dire quickly” once a “fraction of the normal winter pressures” are…
Read MoreDeath of Professor Donal O’Donoghue
The Royal College of Physicians today (4 Jan) announced the death from COVID-19 of its Registrar, Professor Donal O’Donoghue. Donal was a staunch supporter of acute medicine and a friend of the Society for Acute Medicine. He opened our last face-to-face conference in Harrogate and was always a voice of common sense and good reasoning…
Read MoreCurrent situation ‘extremely worrying’ says SAM immediate past president
As pressure continues to rise across the NHS, Dr Nick Scriven, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said in a statement today (28 December): “The current situation is extremely worrying as the numbers of Covid patients are increasing rapidly at the time of year when things are always ‘tight’. “With the numbers…
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