Rebuilding NHS staff morale is key to health reforms

Posted on: 22nd October 2024

Commenting on today’s launch of the government’s NHS reform consultation, MP and health campaigner, Andrew George, said:

“This is a crucial moment for our NHS. The Conservatives have brought it to its knees. If we cannot restore our NHS in the next few years, I fear it will be on a slippery slope.

“Rebuilding staff morale is critical. If reforms don’t improve staff retention they will fail. We’ve lost 45% of our District Nurses a 32% of our Health Visitors in the last decade. If the government intends to shift the emphasis from hospitals to home, then we need to rebuild qualified and registered front-line clinicians, operating on the ground.

“If the government claim the private sector is the answer, then it’s asking the wrong question. The private sector cherry-pick the profitable bits of the NHS, and contribute to yet more fragmentation, more contracts, more accountants and more managers, and less for front-line care.

“I hope that Ministers don’t become overly mesmerised by gadgets and a belief that technology and apps represent a ‘golden bullet’ for the NHS. The NHS is fundamentally built on clinically trained staff. Ensuring staff are respected, properly rewarded, well trained, qualified and motivated, and operate at safe staffing levels is fundamentally important.

“Above all, I urge health ministers not to waste billions, as previous governments have, on employing management consultants/gurus. We’ve been down that route many times before and it’s wasted time and money. It’s better to listen to front-line staff and to build services around them – especially registered nurses and doctors.”