| 19 November 2024
Commenting on the publication of the NHS’s monthly performance statistics, Jonathan Czul, Managing Director at Skills for Health, said:
“With winter pressures building, these statistics serve to reinforce the scale of challenge that government faces in reducing waiting times.
“It is encouraging to see that a dent has been made in routine care waiting lists, whilst the number of 52-week plus waits have fallen by a third.
“Urgent and emergency care, however, continues to experience severe strain, with one in ten waiting more than 90 minutes for an ambulance during the month of October.
“It bears repeating that the workforce is at the heart of the issue if the NHS is to effectively solve these ongoing performance challenges.
“Following a flurry of policy pronouncements last week, government would do well
to prioritise workforce KPIs and pay particular attention to workforce
planning and skills development.
“These factors hold the key to ensuring right care, right person. However, the success of any measures brought forward will be contingent on bringing staff fully onboard, which is why the initiative needs to be approached in consultation with the workforce, and the necessary implementation support and period of adjustment in place.”