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The battleground for the future of the NHS

As this 20th anniversary edition of CSJ reflects on the past two decades in healthcare, we know that the NHS has been experiencing significant winter pressures for some time. However, Matt Currall argues that we need to look beyond blaming social care to unlock patient flow and delayed discharge.

At the time of writing, the NHS is facing the prospect of an immensely challenging winter period ahead. Winter is traditionally the health service’s busiest period with an increase in coughs and colds, along with more falls and accidents caused by icy conditions, leading to a greater number of people seeking to access healthcare.

Winter 2022 is likely to be a unique one. We approach this tricky time after a summer where the health service has seen pressures at a similar level to previous winters. We also have the challenge of COVID-19 still in circulation, but with no public restrictions in place. In August, national hospital capacity sat at over 94%, with bulging waiting lists across emergency and elective care, and harrowing delays in A&E with people facing long waits in ambulances across the country.1

A focus on patient flow is therefore absolutely necessary. NHS’ data, from time  of writing, indicates that 1 in 7 (15.6%) patients in hospitals are well enough for discharge, meaning thousands of people currently residing in hospital beds could be elsewhere – either at home or being looked after somewhere else.2,3 This is a reflection of the importance of flow and the need to get it right to unlock the system.

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Upcoming Events

Diversity, inclusion and equality in surgery conference

RCS England Headquarters, London, WC2A 3PE
30th September 2023

UK Respiratory Infections Seminar

Mary Ward House, London
4th October 2023

Ecolab's Public Health & Sustainability Day

Old Trafford, Manchester United
10th October 2023

CSC Autumn Study Day 2023

LMI conference centre, Liverpool
16th October 2023

Prevent, Protect, Provide: Minimising infections for patients and the NHS

The Clermont Hotel, London, WC2N 5HX
30th October 2023

Infection 360 Conference

Pendulum Hotel and Manchester Conference Centre
8th - 9th November 2023

Access the latest issue of Clinical Services Journal on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Clinical Services Journal app from your device's App store

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