The CSP has condemned the absence of any enhanced funding or resources for community rehabilitation within the Government’s recently announced winter pressures plan for England.
In addition, the Society is disappointed that the Department of Health and Social Care’s policy paper - which sets out the allocation of a £700 million Targeted Investment Fund – includes no plans to increase the provision of physiotherapy staff and physio support workers within the NHS.
CSP Policy Director Rob Yeldham said: ‘Once again the Government is planning to fail.
There is nothing in the winter pressures announcement to enhance community rehabilitation which is critical to enabling discharges and to avoid adding to pressure on acute services
‘There is also no immediate commitment to recruit more rehab and physiotherapy support workers, as well as a failing to utilise the expanding numbers of new physiotherapy graduates to alleviate staffing pressures. This compounds similar omissions in the urgent and emergency care recovery plan.’
£700 million Targeted Investment Fund
The Government’s policy paper, The health and social care approach to winter, lays out plans for hospital trusts in England to benefit from a share of £700 million funding, which is intended to help their hospitals to reduce waiting lists, expand their wards, install modular operating theatres and upgrade outpatient spaces and MRI and screening technology.
The £700 million targeted investment fund, which includes £330 million for upgrading NHS facilities, £250 million for new technology and £120 million for any supporting revenue costs, will be allocated to 785 separate schemes across 187 hospital trusts across the country.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid said: ‘Ahead of what is going to be a difficult winter, we’re putting everything behind our health and care services, so everyone can access the services they need, when they need them.
‘Our £700 million investment will help more people get treated over the coming months by upgrading wards, operating theatres, and diagnostic kit.'
The CSP welcomes the additional funding this means for elective care hubs to clear the backlog, but we are concerned that without investment into community rehab and physiotherapy staffing elective care patients will not receive the pre and post-surgery rehab they require to ensure their operations are successful.
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