Winter is starting.” Year after year, the NHS is brought to its knees as winter hits, bringing with it spiralling A&E waiting times, huge bed shortages, and staff pushed to breaking point. “Every year has been busier than the last – I’ve got no reason to suspect this year will be any different.” Each winter crisis hits frontline NHS staff in different ways. But for Berry, the story of one patient stands out among the thousands he treats each winter. One 111 call handler – who asked to remain anonymous – described how pressure on the NHS’ urgent medical helpline becomes “absolutely relentless” over winter. The long-term strategy will unveil how health officials intend to invest freshly-boosted NHS budgets, with an extra £20 billion set to be pumped into the health service in England each year by 2023.

Source: Huffington Post January 06, 2019 07:52 UTC