SAM statement regarding NHS performance data for January 2017

Commenting on NHS performance data for January, Dr Mark Holland, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said:

“Performance against the four-hour emergency access target has been in constant decline since November 2014 and, despite numerous warnings, guidance, criticism and advice, until now the government has buried its head as deep into the sand as it could possibly get.

“Now it is clear that a mild winter brings the NHS in England to the edge of collapse and we really are close to rock bottom, but we perhaps at least have the opportunity to rebuild – but we must be listened to.

“Yesterday’s budget announcements by the chancellor were a step in the right direction – investment in social care was long overdue – and he is right, it is not just about cash it is about how we invest.

“Acute medicine is ideally placed to provide the strategic tools to help fix the NHS and the solution must involve placing acute medicine at the heart of the strategy to get our hospitals working again – alongside adequate investment in social care.

“For that to happen we need the health secretary to open the door to us.”

The Society for Acute Medicine has today published the document Acute medicine: The solution the NHS chooses to ignore. For more information visit the document here.