The Health Foundation has published new analysis assessing how achievable the government’s 18-week elective target is.
Senior censor and vice president for education and training, Dr Mumtaz Patel, who is acting as president of the Royal College of Physicians, said:
‘We welcome this new analysis from the Health Foundation, which recognises the ambitious nature of the UK government’s elective recovery plan.
‘To bring down waiting lists and achieve the 18-week elective target, funding and workforce will be critical. The NHS needs to invest in its staff, facilities and equipment. To keep doctors in the health service, we need to fill rota gaps, reduce overwhelming workloads, enhance medical training, and improve the working environment by getting the basics right.
‘We also need to focus on providing holistic care that prioritises patient experience and outcomes. Following our recently published guide for clinicians on outpatient transformation, the RCP will shortly set out our thinking on the changes needed to reform outpatient services so they work better for patients.’