Helen Morgan MP says NHS staff are being let down
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan says doctors and nurses are being let down after a new cross-party report warned the NHS is facing the worst staffing crisis in history.
Helen Morgan MP said: “This report will be no surprise to anyone involved in the NHS in Shropshire and further highlights the need for the Government to get a grip on our healthcare crisis.
“Understaffing is not fair on anyone: it is dangerous for patients and dangerous for staff.
“Recruitment and retention are a major challenge for the NHS in general but the problem is particularly acute in rural areas like North Shropshire where it can be very hard to attract staff. Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals are constantly trying to fill roles and have a vacancy rate of around 10 per cent.
“This is one of the reasons we are seeing such big queues for A&E and such long waiting lists for hospital appointments.
“The same doctors, nurses and carers the Government were clapping for during lockdown are being let down.
“The Government needs to hurry up and start planning for the long term while helping hospital trusts deal with the crisis they are already in. A long-term workforce strategy needs to be written into law to help health and social care providers plan properly for the future.”
