Funding for additional beds welcome but questions remain regarding how they will be staffed

Responding to the announcement from the Department of Health and Social Care of an extra £250m of funding to boost hospital capacity, Rory Deighton, director of NHS Confederation's Acute Network said:

“Healthcare leaders are supportive of the aims of NHS England’s recovery plan and will welcome this funding to help deliver it.

“Increasing bed numbers is a sensible and necessary step to boost capacity and, if delivered, should help with both winter pressures and the timely care of the sickest patients. Leaders will be keen to utilise this funding as soon as possible.  

“However, whether the extra 5000 beds that this money is partly for will be enough remains to be seen, but it is certainly a step in the right direction and the trusts that are struggling most with performance and 12-hour A&E waits should benefit from this. 

“NHS leaders may also have questions on how these beds will be safely staffed given that vacancy numbers remain high, the long-term workforce plan is in its infancy, and industrial action is ongoing. To give this initiative, and others, the best possible chance of success the government must find a way to bring nine months of strike action to a close.”