WIDESPREAD consultant vacancies are "significantly impacting patient care", according to a census of UK physicians.
The annual workforce census carried out by the Royal College of Physicians, the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE), and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow (RCPSG) found that 58% of their members were reporting consultant physician vacancies within their department last year.
More than two thirds (69%) of consultant physicians were also aware of gaps on trainee rotas either daily or weekly.
A majority (73%) said gaps in working rotas are having an impact on patients, with the most common concerns raised by respondents including access to outpatient care (25.8%), the length of hospital stays (23.4%) and out-of-hours inpatient care (23.3%).
As doctors usually working in hospitals, physicians are at the forefront of bringing down waiting lists, including for diagnostic tests, checks and scans.
Widespread staff shortages make it increasingly challenging to meet rising demand.
The census highlights the strain felt by UK doctors trying to keep pace with ever growing patient need.
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The majority of consultant physicians (84%) felt valued by their patients – but 44% reported having an excessive workload almost always or most of the time.
One in five (18%) said they almost never feel in control of their workload and the census estimates that a similar proportion (19%) are at risk of burnout.
The three royal colleges say the findings highlight the need for an NHS workforce plan with independently verified staffing projections for the next five, 10, and 15 years, underpinned by the necessary funding.
Professor Andrew Elder, president of the RCPE, said: “Year on year, the census data demonstrate increasing risk to the safe provision of patient care, with an alarming and rising proportion of unfilled consultant posts and consultants approaching retirement.
"In order to address these challenges, an effective recruitment and retention strategy is required for doctors across each of the four nations of the UK."
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Mike McKirdy, president of the RCPSG, said: “This year’s physician census once again demonstrates the challenge of delivering good medical care when there are so many consultant vacancies, and gaps in the rotas of doctors providing emergency care, right across the United Kingdom.
“We eagerly await the NHS Workforce Plan and hope that this will address not only issues of recruitment and retention but also the wellbeing of the medical workforce, which this report shows is currently very fragile.”
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