Patients face ‘inevitable rationing’ as one in four psychiatry posts not substantive

Psychiatry is facing a ‘double whammy’ of chronic consultant shortages where patient care is being rationed and under-pressure doctors are working with ‘hands tied behind their backs’, a leading clinician has warned.

As the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ official 2021 census reveals consultant vacancies are up by more than a third (35 per cent) since 2017 with nearly one in 10 posts going unfilled, current Dean Professor Subodh Dave told HSJ the current situation impacts “very adversely” on achieving NHS long-term plan goals.

In an exclusive interview, the Derbyshire-based liaison psychiatrist told HSJ one in four (24%) of the country’s 7,782 consultant posts are not substantive and are currently dominated by locums, typically on shorter-term contracts.

Professor Dave said current workforce gaps are having a knock-on effect with “inevitable rationing” of patient care to keep services running.

“If you design a service that has to meet NICE standards then clearly you need the workforce to deliver that standard of care,” he added.

“To do that with your hands tied behind your back is frankly impossible.”

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Source: HSJ, 6 November 2021