CHI Report on Shortage of Key Health Staff is Deeply Worrying

5.38.44pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 3rd Mar 2004

New evidence that a shortage of doctors, nurses and other health workers will affect the ability of local health services to meet future challenges has been described as "deeply worrying" by the Liberal Democrats today.

A report by NHS watchdog Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) said shortages were leading to some GP practice lists being closed, low staff morale and high workloads.

Paul Burstow MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, said:

"This new evidence is deeply worrying. With the publication of this report, Ministers have nowhere to hide and must start to face up to the problems. They must get off the backs of frontline health workers, scrap the political targets and cut the red tape.

"The local GP is the cornerstone of the health service. With GP and community nurse vacancies mounting, surgeries turning away patients and retirements outstripping recruitment, the sector is facing crisis. The Government's failure to recruit enough GPs is holding the NHS back from

delivering a truly world class service.

"Until we get real local control over health services, the Government will simply devolve the blame but keep the control."