Workforce: the persistent victim of the Covid-19 pandemic (BMJ, 11 July 2022)

Summary

The UK has fewer hospital beds than almost any other European comparator and we can ill afford any loss of hospital capacity. While Covid has undoubtedly worsened performance, crowding in emergency departments was a problem before the pandemic.

There are frantic attempts to shore up battered and fragile rotas and rota coordinators are scratching their heads. Meanwhile there has been a steady increase in the number of staff off work with Long Covid. While many have been flexible and accommodating to try to maintain their services, there is increasing burnout and uncertainty as to when all this will end. The workforce needs to feel valued and supported, writes Adrian Boyle, a consultant in emergency medicine. There needs to be an acknowledgment that the system is broken.