We all have views on how the NHS works – many feel the staff and the care are wonderful but they are overwhelmed by other problems.
On September 1st we got the “inside scoop” from the Medical Director of York NHS Trust , Karen Stone. Recently related to this role in York (and moving here soon) she gave us a clear insight into the challenges faced by this huge and wide-ranging organisation.
Karen described the scope breadth of the Trusts’ work – including 220,000 A&E admissions every year.
They employ 10,000 staff and have a turnover of £700m per year – close to £2m per DAY. The logistical challenges are enormous, and of course have been exacerbated by staffing shortages, strikes, reduced funding and Covid to name but a few.
Although waiting lists for elective surgery and recovery are still very high (at 50,000) Karen was surprisingly upbeat about the future.
She described several recent successes – including a new A&E unit now open at York and a similar unit opening in Scarborough in 2024 – and said the signs were that key metrics were now improving.
Despite the stresses that impact staff across the Trust, Karen was remarkably relaxed and we were left with a clear picture of optimism despite all the challenges!
Karen with Speaker Host Brian Joscelyne (l) and President Paul
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