RCoA responds to Care Quality Commission’s ‘State of Care’ report

As the single largest group of hospital doctors, anaesthetists are driving the evolution of integrated perioperative care, coordinating a joined-up surgical pathway from the time an operation is contemplated, through to patient recovery, using a multi-disciplinary team across primary, secondary and tertiary care.

Evidence shows that integrated perioperative care such as this can save the NHS money and reduce existing pressures by improving treatment outcomes and reducing the length of time patients stay in hospital. With proper assessment in place, non-surgical options can be clinically appropriate and reduce hospital admissions by instead utilising community and public health services.

The five-year funding settlement came with a well-meaning commitment to improve our NHS. But it made no specific mention of healthcare training budgets, public health, capital funding or social care. Without investment in these areas, the ambition for transformative, integrated health and social care will not be realised.

Dr Janice Fazackerley, Vice-President of the Royal College of Anaesthetists said:

“We are pleased that the CQC report shows many people continue to receive good care. The variation relating to where they live, and the disjointed nature of services remains a great concern.

“Despite the challenges faced by the NHS in response to increasing demand, funding pressures and the recruitment and retention of staff, this report recognises that health and social care staff continue to work incredibly hard to deliver high quality patient care on a daily basis.

“Investing in the recruitment and retention of the workforce is crucial in ensuring that services  consistently provide high-quality patient-centred care.”