Gridlocked health and care system risks the safety and quality of patient care

Responding to the publication today of the monthly NHS performance statistics and House of Lords' report on adult social care, Tim Gardner, Senior Policy Fellow at the Health Foundation said:

‘These figures show a gridlocked health and care system struggling to meet the needs of patients, even before the full force of winter and the planned industrial action kicks in.  

‘Ambulances and hospitals are under huge pressure – in October 2022, hospital waiting lists hit a record high of 7.2 million, with nearly 411,000 waiting over a year. More than 1 in 10 people with a serious condition such as a stroke or chest pain waited over 105 minutes for an ambulance in November, while nearly 38,000 people spent more than 12 hours on trolleys in A&E. Contributing to these delays is the fact that over 13,000 people who could have been discharged were stuck in hospital due to a lack of social care and community support. 

‘NHS staff are working hard under intense pressure to provide the best care they can for patients, but these delays risk the safety and quality of care, as well as leaving patients in pain and struggling to manage debilitating health conditions. The health service is being hamstrung by workforce shortages, staff exhaustion and lack of capacity in community services and especially social care.  

‘Today's House of Lords’ report becomes the latest to highlight the political neglect and woeful underfunding of social care services, following yet another delay to vital funding reforms. A fully-funded, long-term plan is required to tackle the crisis in social care, address workforce shortages and reform a system that is not fit for purpose.’ 

Media contact

Creina Lilburne
E: creina.lilburne@health.org.uk
T: 020 7664 4647 / mobile: 07941 156 827

Additional information

• The NHS performance statistics can be viewed here.
• The House of Lords’ Committee on Adult Social Care published a report today entitled A ‘gloriously ordinary life’: spotlight on Adult Social Care.