Royal Colleges write to Prime Minister on the challenges facing the NHS in England

01 Feb 2017

The Presidents of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow have written to the Prime Minster to express their concerns with the current state of the NHS in England and the political rhetoric surrounding it.

Together the Colleges represent over 50,000 medical professionals working in all parts of the UK and across the world, with a significant proportion working in the NHS in England.

The Presidents have been contacted by many Fellows and Members who have expressed their concerns that much of the recent debate is being focused around blame rather than the future for high quality health and care for the UK.

They request that a working group be set up as a matter of urgency involving the Royal Colleges, healthcare practitioners, patients, the public, and politicians alike to find solutions to alleviate the pressures faced across the NHS and enable high-level analysis to be undertaken to inform future thinking. The Colleges wish to see a genuine dialogue and sharing of best practice between the UK Government, the devolved Governments and those delivering care to create an environment that supports all those working within the health service.