What is it about?
The Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) were introduced in the English NHS as a means to save money. Many STPs claim that they will close acute beds via a shift from acute to community care. However the level of occupied acute beds (as opposed to available beds) has not changed since 1998/99, and shows unexplained surges at regular intervals. Indeed 9% more beds are required to bring average occupancy back to a safe and efficient level.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
An appropriate occupancy margin is essential to prevent queues in A&E and cancelled operations. The unexplained surges in bed occupancy do have an explanation but the explanation is not politically acceptable.
Perspectives
A reduction in acute bed numbers is possible, however, it will require investment in new technology and training of staff. At the present there does not appear to be any money to fund these. See http://www.hcaf.biz/2010/Publications_Full.pdf for a wider selection of studies on this complex topic.
Dr Rodney P Jones
Healthcare Analysis & Forecasting
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Is there scope to close acute beds in the STPs?, British Journal of Healthcare Management, February 2017, Mark Allen Group,
DOI: 10.12968/bjhc.2017.23.2.83.
You can read the full text:
Resources
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
