NURSING leaders have accused the government’s new Health Secretary Victoria Atkins of insulting NHS staff by blaming them for record waiting lists.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), representing more than 300,000 nurses, warned a looming winter crisis in the NHS was leaving nurses caring for so many patients that their treatment was “unsafe.”
Ms Atkins, who was appointed to the role just under three weeks ago during a reshuffle by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said in a TV interview that avoiding a winter crisis in the NHS was her “number one priority.”
Asked about the chances of Mr Sunak hitting his target to cut waiting lists ahead of the next election, Ms Atkins said she hoped for a pay settlement with doctors and consultants.
She said: “If we have removed the threat of industrial action from the NHS, then those people, who for example, in the October set of actions, we had 40,000 appointments being rescheduled each day, well then that stops and we are able to get on with the business of looking after people."
The NHS waiting list is more than seven million long.
RCN chief nurse Professor Nicola Ranger said: "To blame striking staff for record waiting lists is a misguided insult.
“Waiting lists were growing long before the pandemic and have been exacerbated by ministers’ refusal to recognise the value of safety-critical staff.
“It’s concern for patients that drove people to picket lines.”
And she said the NHS was still short of 40,000 nurses.
“One nurse is often left caring for 10, 15 or more patients and that is often unsafe,” she said.
“With longer waits for ambulances, record waiting lists and bed occupancy at 95 per cent, the NHS cannot afford complacency.
"As we head into winter, nursing staff are feeling real frustration and won’t accept that they will endlessly be put under more pressure on every shift with their patients receiving worse outcomes.
“If the government is serious about tackling this crisis head on, they should start by correcting their decision to hand nurses one of the lowest pay rises in the public sector and award them the fair pay they deserve.”
