We’re told that 15 January is the most depressing day of the year, writes Frontline managing editor Lynn Eaton.
I’m not sure there’s much science to it but it certainly feels pretty grim at the moment. It’s a long time until pay day this month. The skies are grey more often than blue and, whichever colour it is, it’s cold.
On top of that, many of us are pulling in our horns, both financially and with our eating and drinking habits, after the excesses of Christmas or the new year sales.
As for the NHS, the year began badly, with reports of ambulance staff waiting outside A&E departments in some parts of the country, unable to admit patients to hospital. An older woman died as she waited nearly four hours for an emergency team to reach her home in Clacton, Essex.
Meanwhile planned operations are to be postponed in an attempt to cope with the ‘winter crisis’.
CSP members are doing their best in extremely difficult circumstances. We know some members are working in A&E trying to ensure appropriate decisions are made about admission, and to speed up discharge. Others are working in the community to help prevent admission in the first place, providing support for older people in their own homes.
If you’re on the frontline in the NHS, trying to help avert a crisis, we want to hear from you. Just go to the online survey to tell us how you’re trying to help, so we can share your experience with others.
- Lynn Eaton managing editor Frontline and head of CSP member communications eatonl@csp.org.uk
Author
Lynn Eaton managing editor Frontline and head of CSP member communicationsNumber of subscribers: 1
Log in to comment and read comments that have been added