Doctors fear ability of NHS to cope with 'incredible demand'

Thousands of doctors reveal fears around NHS’s ability to cope with 'incredible demand' amid a surge in coronavirus infections.

The British Medical Association says that the new restrictions announced by the Prime Minister will be seen as a necessary step by many doctors who revealed concerns over the level of pressure on our health service and the ability to cope with demand.

The results of the BMA survey also highlighted deep-seated fears over the impact the relaxation of rules at Christmas would have on the soaring number of coronavirus patients needing treatment.

Doctors and medical students from across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are imploring the public to take steps to avoid the spread of coronavirus, including mixing with as few people as possible this Christmas, wearing face masks, and avoiding visiting friends and relatives who are vulnerable due to a health condition.

More than half of respondents said they had seen a significant increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the last two weeks; while one in three said current levels were higher than during the same point during the first wave.

The BMA also says that 88 per cent of respondents said they felt uneasy that they could not provide the standard of care they wanted during the pandemic, with thousands of doctors saying that they are not confident of their department or practice’s ability to manage either Covid-related (40 per cent), or non-Covid (51 per cent), demand in the coming weeks.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said: “This survey reveals a profession fearful not just for the patients we have now, but for those we will soon have to treat in the new year as a result of a rise in infections caused in part by the new strain but also by increased socialising during Christmas. Whether it’s Covid or cancer, we are extremely worried that there may not be the capacity in our health service to provide care for everyone who needs it if the infection rates continue to soar. Our NHS and its staff are already at the point of collapse; with many hospitals full to capacity at the very start of the busy winter period, these tougher measures are necessary to give the health service a fighting chance to cope with the incredible demand it is experiencing and will likely continue to.

“Doctors are telling us they’re already seeing significant increases in the number of Covid and non-Covid patients, and that they don’t believe their hospitals or practices will be able to cope in the new year. What’s crucial to understand is that when we talk about protecting the NHS, this is not an abstract concept, a set of initials or a building somewhere. The NHS provides care for us all, when we most need it. If it doesn’t cope, the consequences impact on each and every one of us; real people will suffer.

“We all wanted to have some semblance of Christmas this year but given these latest developments, particularly with the emergence of this new faster spreading strain, the best thing we can do now is stay at home to protect ourselves and our loved ones this year. Though there is some hope that in a few months the vaccination programme will allow family, relatives and friends to mix together once again.”