A relative of mine in Chesterfield received excellent care from both the NHS and social care at the height of the winter pressures earlier this year. She and her family were treated with expertise, compassion and dignity. It reminded me that these services require good organisation and adequate resources; but they also need good people.
I don’t imagine much more can be done to prepare for winter at this stage. Despite the best efforts, NHS friends predict that there will be a crisis in the next few months, its severity dependent mainly on what viruses are circulating. Once again, it will fall to the efforts of NHS and social services staff to get us through. Yet the health and care system is now under enormous pressure all year round. This is largely due to demographic changes, which mean that more elderly people need care, but face inadequate services. Too many people end up in hospital because there is no alternative.