THE 2017 BEDS CRISIS IN THE NHS

THE NHS BEDS CRISIS IN 2017

Some years ago, I wrote an extensive article about The Future Strategy for the NHS. It was full of innovative ideas about how we train Doctors and Nurses, Remedial Healthcare and Cutting out unnecessary expenditure. No one took any notice in Government.
You can read my article if you scroll down the Menu on the right of my website or better, click on my Profile and scroll down.

Today in early 2017, I want to concentrate on one solution for a major problem which is experienced throughout the NHS......
We do not have any beds available.....this is the cry throughout the NHS.

Now I realise that the NHS cannot kick patients out if they are not well enough to return to the Community in order to release beds..
So, there is only one practical solution that has to be considered.
Increase the supply of beds. Increase the capacity and flexibility of bed supply !

SOME PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

1 - Wherever adjacent land is available build extensions to provide more beds.

2 - If land in situ is not available consider creating more Park and Ride car parks near to the hospital and convert some patient car parks into hospital extensions where the supply of beds can be increased.

3 - Extend hospital buildings by adding where possible extra floors to existing buildings.

4 - Extend Cottage hospitals rather than closing them down.

5 - This will require extra Government funds for a major building
programme.
This is far better than ploughing money into Salaries, Agency Workers,and Management.

EXAMPLE - WYCOMBE HOSPITAL

Recently, A and E was transferred from Wycombe Hospital to Stoke Mandeville Hospital which was already congested.
Near the Wycombe Hospital there is open land which could have been purchased and extra facilities built to make Wycombe a hub with many more beds.

I am convinced that the £Billions spent on the NHS is being spent with the wrong priorities.
If we have an ageing population, people living longer, a growth of population surely it is not rocket science to propose the building of more new hospitals, hospital extensions and conversions to hospitals.

There are still lots of Government land that could be used.
There are Commercial Buildings that could be purchased and converted to hospitals.
There are new build opportunities in most major cities. Many like High Wycombe example.

PRIORITISE NEW BEDS FACILITIES

I believe that successive Governments, Labour and Conservative have failed to improve the stock of new beds in the NHS.
I am fed up hearing in the Press and TV that the NHS do not have sufficient beds. For goodness sake, extra beds must be a Top Priority.

In the next decade, the demand for beds will grow even further.
Every day I hear the words from Doctors and Nurses saying....
We are firefighting every day. We simply do not have sufficient beds.

I believe that In Britain Today, we do not have enough Nursing Homes. This would release many beds for people who badly need hospital treatment.

Will anyone listen to my thoughts ?  Will the Government keep spending £Billions on the wrong priorities ? There should be a priority Hospital Bed Facilities allocation of funds, far greater than at present.

CONCLUSIONS

Can we have more creative thinking ?
Are NHS England stuck in a rut and incapable of broad thinking to solve the Beds Crisis in the NHS? Is the Government stuck in a bigger rut ?

I am sorry to conclude my answer is.....YES. There does not seem to be any creative thinking and priorities are muddled.
We will still have a beds Crisis, TV Documentaries, Government Denials, a Civil Service who seem incapable of proposing any innovative solutions to the Beds Crisis well into the next decade.

A TERRIBLE VISCIOUS CIRCLE