Staff shortages stop 1.4 million NHS operations each year, top doctors warn
Hospitals in the UK are facing shortages of almost 2,000 anaesthetists, leading the NHS to miss 1.4 million operations a year, doctors have warned.
The government has been urged to increase funding for the number of newly qualified doctors who can train as anaesthetists as more than 2,000 miss out on places each year.
The Royal College of Anaesthetists has said the NHS will not be able to tackle waiting lists without more of these specialist doctors. Their warning comes amid fears hospitals are substituting doctors for staff without sufficient training, called anaesthesia associates.
This week the NHS will publish new waiting list figures. They stood at 7.6 million in March.
Dr Fiona Donald, president of the Royal College of Anaesthetists warned: “The shortage of anaesthetists has reached crisis levels and is preventing patients from getting the operations they so desperately need. During the election campaign, I’m sure we’ll see all parties pledge to reduce NHS waiting lists but unless their policies include plans for more anaesthetists they will have limited impact.”
According to the college, each year 2,600 doctors apply for anaesthetist training however only 550 places are funded. For more advanced training there are around 650 applicants a year yet only 400 are funded.
Source: Independent, 8 May 2024