Responding to the Royal College of Physicians findings that one in three doctors say their organisation is not prepared for winter, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said: “Health and care staff find themselves facing a huge backlog of care and record waiting times as they head into this winter. These stark figures show just how many are feeling burned out, overstretched, and deeply concerned about their ability to cope.
“The fact that one-in-three doctors have concerns about the upcoming winter shows that the Government is not providing enough support to those working on the front lines. This is not only letting down staff, but letting down patients too.
“We urgently need a long-term workforce plan to ensure that health and social care providers are both staffed and supported. With tens of thousands of vacancies in the NHS alone, the Government must stop berating GPs and threatening sanctions – instead investing to give our health and social care staff the support they so desperately need.”