Ongoing fuel crisis will impact healthcare services

The British Medical Association has warned that the ongoing fuel crisis will impact healthcare services, particularly in London and the South East.

Nearly 70 per cent of doctors who responded to a BMA survey are worried that the ongoing fuel crisis will have an impact on their work, with four in ten worried about staff absences rising to half of doctors voicing concern in London and the South East.  

More than half have already had major problems refuelling their vehicles, with 57 per cent feeling that these challenges will remain in place in the coming weeks.

Respondents also said that because of the problems re-fuelling some staff were arriving late (45 per cent of respondents said this had happened in their workplace) and 29 per cent of doctors reported staff absences.

David Wrigley, BMA council deputy chair, said: “We asked the government last week to prioritise access to fuel for emergency and essential workers and as yet there has been no affirmative action, leading to doctors telling us that their services will be disrupted as a result.

“Our survey has shown that nearly 70 per cent of doctors in England said they feared negative impacts at their place of work such as staff being late or not able to attend work at all as a result of problems with filling up their cars. This gives a very real possibility that some patients will miss out on their appointments.

“We ask that immediate consideration is given to essential and emergency workers in this ongoing situation and that urgent guidance is issued to allow easier access to fuel.”