Dr Mary McCarthy: Year has been challenging for the NHS

It will come as no surprise that this year has been a challenging one for the NHS – we read about staff shortages, underfunding and increasing demand on services on an almost daily basis.

The UK has less doctors and beds per person than similar leading European countries and last month, the BMA called on the chancellor to commit to keeping health spending in line with those economies in the budget. Indeed, if our health spending proportionately matched that of other leading economies, the UK would be spending £10 billion more on healthcare.

This year, across many medical specialities, staff shortages have threatened the delivery of patient care. A large number of GP surgeries across the country had to shut their doors this year as practices as difficulty attracting and retaining GPs has left surgeries with little option. Stress and burnout has been commonplace amongst NHS staff as they are increasingly tasked with covering rota gaps in the service as a result of understaffing.

The more overstretched staff become, the more they are overworked and more fatigued on shifts. This can lead to longer term complications and health problems association with stress and burnout.

We must ensure that the NHS is somewhere that nourishes and supports the medical profession and is something that we should focus on in the year ahead.

The British Medical Association are currently running a campaign to tackle stress and fatigue among doctors, focusing on improving their health and wellbeing. Their ‘Gift of Five’ campaign is promoting the use of the Headspace mindfulness app. The health and wellbeing of doctors is something that we should be focusing on in 2018. We must ensure that the NHS is somewhere that medical professionals want to work in.

Working in general practice, I am concerned for the year ahead. There have been some signs this year that the crisis in general practice is beginning to be taken seriously. In 2018, it will be important to see if we can build upon the positive contract agreement that was secured this year.

GPs are the most cost-effective part of the NHS and investing in general practice produces three times the value of investing in any other part of the health service. We must turn words into practical action.

We need longer-term solutions rather than sticker plaster approaches. The government must recognise that the current funding for GP services as a proportion of the overall NHS is too low – at just 7.6 percent. Patients recognise the work that we do and value the NHS. I hope that the government start to do the same.

Ultimately, I want to know that the future of general practice, and the wider NHS is secure. That we will be able to look after each patient that comes in the door to the best of our ability and know that should that patient require any further secondary care – they will be able to access the best care available.