Doctor shortage crisis not affecting Sheffield A&E

Hospitals in the East Midlands and the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust warned of temporary A&E closures this week due to the shortage of doctors.

A spokesman for the Lincolnshire trust revealed that patients may now be put at risk if action is not taken.

Dr Clifford Mann, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said there is a ‘real crisis in emergency medicine’ as workforce numbers struggle to keep pace with rising numbers of patients.

But Sheffield teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have said that they are not hard hit by the crisis – and there is no immediate threat of the city’s A&E closing.

Dr David Throssell, medical director at the trust, said: “As one of the largest teaching hospital trusts and major trauma centres we are fortunate to attract and retain high quality consultants for our A&E department.

“As a result we currently don’t have any unfilled consultant posts and provide the full range of emergency care services.”

Chris Hopson, who heads the trade association for acute, ambulance, community and mental health services, put the crisis down to rising costs.

He said costs have risen between 3.5 per cent and 4 per cent every year due to population growth and the cost of new treatments.

However the health service has only received a 1 per cent funding rise between 2010 and 2020.