NHS ‘workforce disaster’ threatens a million operations

The Royal College of Anaesthetists has warned that a million patient operations could be delayed because of widespread shortages of anaesthetists in the NHS.

More than 140,000 NHS patients have already waited over a year for treatment because of the cancellations of services brought about by the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The Health Foundation has warned that 4.7 million fewer patients have been referred for treatment because of the impact of coronavirus on NHS services.

The Royal College of Anaesthetists said that the scale of the vacancies was getting worse and labelled it a ‘workforce disaster’ that could cost patients’ lives and have a widespread impact on hospital services. According to the college, nine out of every 10 hospitals are reporting at least one vacancy.

There is a total gap of 1,410 anaesthetists in the NHS and each one on average would treat 750 patients a year, meaning the equivalent of more than a million operations put at risk.

In a major stocktake that gathered results from 97 per cent of NHS units, the RCOA found that 680 consultant anaesthetist posts were vacant across the UK, with 374 posts needed to cope with rising demand but not yet funded. Additionally, the number of vacant non-training staff grade doctors who work alongside consultants was 243 with an extra 113 needed to run services but not funded.

Anaesthesiology is the single largest hospital speciality, seeing more than three million patients each year. The RCOA said while there were approximately 4,000 anaesthetists in training who would qualify as consultants in the next five to eight years, demand was continuing to grow at a faster pace.

Ravi Mahajan, president of the college, said: “Investment in anaesthetic training capacity is essential to keep this critical hospital service safe. While we welcomed the government’s £3.7 billion of capital funding for hospital development earlier this year, we reiterate our call for investment in the training of qualified staff to work in those places.”