GPs and hospital leaders have been left hanging over plans to drop “non-urgent” care, and warn there’s no way to safely stem demand without impacting patients health or “swamping” the NHS further.
On Monday evening the NHS published guidance for GPs and hospital leaders over expectations to deliver the government’s new deadline for all adults to be offered a booster vaccine by the new year.
The guidance comes as reports surfaced on Tuesday that ministers were warned the NHS should expect a “significant” increase in hospitalisations, as modelling showed Omicron cases may reach 200,000 a day.
NHS England sent letters to all GP practices and Trust chiefs on Monday evening setting out some plans to support the vaccine drive, which included opening community vaccine clinics 12 hours a day every day of the week. However, the guidance was not clear on what work GPs and trusts could specifically drop to support the drive.
Several NHS leaders raised concerns over the “nightmare” of deciding what care can be reduced, in lieu of any detailed guidance from the government or NHS England, with one leader calling for “clear directive”.
Source: The Independent, 14 December 2021
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