I was asked today how to deal with the backlog of cancer screening, disrupted childhood vaccinations, ongoing emergency care. It all comes back to trained health staff. People. How to recruit, train & most importantly retain them.
Abusing front-desk staff for wait times, directing anger at GPs, saying nurses are unreasonable - these aren't going to help retain health staff. They make the problem worse. The problem is largely staffing. People. It's not their fault that there's not enough of them.
@devisridhar The unions are partly to explain for the staff shortages bmj.com/content/337/bm…
@devisridhar How will the Country, Progress Prof. Sridhar
@devisridhar How about suggesting to scotgov nursing apprenticeships and day release instead of uni. Immediate improvement of staff levels as they come into the system.There are many capable people who are not academic. @devisridhar
@devisridhar Childhood vaccination is the one area where you could mobilise, as with Covid, a volunteer third sector approach. That could release others to pick other work up.
@devisridhar It could also be helped by more people wearing good fitting masks! Covid is here and flu on its way. Does no-one read the news and know what has been happening in Australia!? Less Covid/flu etc in hospital gives more well Dr's/Nurses to care of the backlogs.
@devisridhar Also maybe have contracts to stop NHS staff moonlighting at private practices? Stop GPs being self employed, make them employees, then make them have a minimum contracted hours per week? Most for have a contracted hours per week and must do them or they don't get paid
@devisridhar Childhood imms have not been disrupted here, still hitting all higher targets
@devisridhar Maybe you weren't around when Sturgeon was being told by the RCN that she was building up problems for later on by slashing nursing and midwifery numbers? heraldscotland.com/news/15051751.…