Lack of anaesthetists hampering bid to cut surgery waiting lists – study

Patients are “paying the price” for a shortage of anaesthetists, experts have warned as a report laid bare the “growing scale of the workforce challenge” facing UK hospitals.

There is a 15% shortfall of anaesthetists – doctors who give anaesthetics to patients before, during and after procedures – according to the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA).

Its latest workforce audit highlights how a shortage of these medics has led to pre-planned surgeries being delayed.

A survey of 143 clinical leaders from across the UK found that 8% said shortages of anaesthetists led to delays on a daily basis, with 36% reporting weekly delays.

Some 17% reported monthly delays due to shortages with just 11% saying they were unaffected.

Some 68% of clinical leaders said that boosting the number of anaesthetists is the main action which would increase the rate of pre-planned surgery.

This appeared to be more important that boosting ward space and increasing the number of operating theatres.

The waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England has risen for three months, according to the latest figures.

An estimated 7.41 million treatments were waiting to be carried out at the end of August, relating to 6.26 million patients.

Dr Claire Shannon, president of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, said: “These findings show clearly that patients are paying the price for the shortage of anaesthetists.

“If the Government is serious about cutting waiting lists, it must fund more anaesthetic training places.

“The will and the capacity to train are there, what’s missing is investment and the forthcoming 10-year workforce plan must address that.”

The report highlights how the UK has 1,571 too few consultants and 576 too few specialty, associate specialist and specialists in order to meet current levels of demand.

“The combined shortfall comes to 2,147 anaesthetists, leaving numbers 15% below what is needed,” the authors of the workforce audit wrote.

The report said that the shortfall has grown since the last workforce audit in 2020, when it stood at 13%.

RCoA said its audit also shines a light on the pressure on staff wellbeing with life satisfaction scores among anaesthetists below the national average.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “After more than a decade of neglect, we are getting the NHS back on its feet. This year we have seen record numbers of doctors working in the NHS in England, and 350 more doctors working in anaesthetics than a year ago.

“We have also cut waiting lists by 206,000 and through our 10 Year Health Plan we are committed to creating 1,000 more speciality training posts – including anaesthetists – over three years.”