UK HEALTH SECTOR FACES CRITICAL STAFF SHORTAGE

Excerpt from Article: Staffing crisis deepens in NHS England with 110,000 posts unfilled

Link to Full Article: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/mar/03/staffing-crisis-deepens-

in-nhs-england-with-110000-posts-unfilled
Reflections

This reflection was done with the help of the Gibbs' Reflective Cycle displayed in the

appendix. There is a deficit of doctors, nurses, lab scientists, physiotherapists, and social workers

in the National Health Service. The provision of healthcare services in the UK is severely

hampered by this scarcity. Data suggest that by the early 2030s, there will be over 965,000

unfilled jobs in the healthcare and social care sectors (Chavdarovska, 2023). This circumstance

makes me feel concern for the general public. The staff shortage can make the medical personnel

available feel overworked and unable to give patients the best treatment possible. In my own

view, patients are likely to suffer from delays in getting the essential medical care, which could

be harmful or make their problems worse. This circumstance can also bring about feelings of

injustice toward healthcare professionals, who are expected to handle the task in spite of

insufficient resources and assistance (Waitzman, 2022).

From an ethical point of view, I am of the opinion that the shortage of healthcare staff

raises questions about the duty of care owed to patients. Healthcare organizations have an ethical

obligation to provide timely and high-quality care to patients, but this can be compromised in the

face of staff shortages (Campbell, 2018). I believe that every individuals have a right to receive

appropriate medical treatment, and understaffing may infringe upon this right. On the other hand,

in terms of a legal perceptive, I feel that the shortage of personnel can bring about potential

breaches of healthcare standards and the rights of citizens to healthcare. Healthcare centers are

required by law to ensure sufficient staff is to ensure patient safety and quality of care (Reed,

2022). Failure to do so can result in legal problems such as lawsuits for negligence or

malpractice.
 According to the excerpt from the article being reflected, a major cause of the staff

shortage in the health sector is the insufficient long-term planning by the NHS (Campbell, 2022).

I posits that other factors that could be a precursor of the current situation are training

opportunities and challenges in recruitment and retention of staff. Consequently, it is critical to

act proactively to reduce the ethical and legal dangers related to the NHS staffing shortfall. I

suggest the boosting funding for healthcare education and training and looking at creative ways

to improve recruiting and retention initiatives.

Excerpt from Article: Brexit has worsened shortage of NHS doctors, analysis shows
Link to Full Article: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/nov/27/brexit-worsened-

shortage-nhs-doctors-eu

Reflections

This reflection was carried out using the Gibbs' Reflective Cycle, which can be found in

the appendix. Brexit has led to uncertainties regarding the immigration status of EU healthcare

personnels working in the UK. The NHS heavily relies on EU workers, with 5.6% of its

employees being EU migrants (Dalingwater, 2019). In my opinion, the uncertainty surrounding

Brexit and its implications for immigration policies has created anxiety among EU healthcare

workers potentially leading to a talent drain as well as a difficulty in attracting new talent.

Ethically, I believe that the fair treatment of EU healthcare workers is essential as they

contribute to the delivery of health and social care services. These foreign workers should be

treated fairly and compensated well as they have left their country to work in ours (McCarey, et

al., 2022). Hence, it is necessary to treat them with dignity and respect. Brexit measures has also

disproportionately harm EU workers, resulting in unequal access to social services (McHale,

2020). These basic human rights should be made easily accessible for these EU healthcare

workers. In terms of legal issues arising from Brexit effect on healthcare workers retention, I am

of the opinion that immigration laws and policies make it difficult for healthcare worker to be

employed from foreign countries (McCarey & Dayan, 2022). The NHS should work with the

legislative arm of government to create policies that will enhance ease of employment and

retention of EU health workers.

In conclusion, I believe that it is critical that authorities, healthcare institutions, and

businesses in other industries emphasize the well-being and rights of EU workers impacted by
Brexit. Efforts should be taken to clarify immigration status, assist affected workers, and

establish fair and inclusive regulations in order to retain talent and preserve the viability of

healthcare sector. Transparent immigration laws that safeguard EU workers' rights should be

advocated while also promoting workplace inclusion. This also calls for the need to provide EU

workers with legal assistance, counseling services, and access to information about their rights.
References

Campbell, D. (2018). NHS in England facing deepening staffing crisis, figures show | NHS | The

Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jul/26/nhs-in-england-facing-

deepening-staffing-crisis-figures-show

Campbell, D. (2022, March 3). Staffing crisis deepens in NHS England with 110,000 posts

unfilled. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/mar/03/staffing-

crisis-deepens-in-nhs-england-with-110000-posts-unfilled

Chavdarovska, N. (2023, November 10). Challenges of Healthcare Staffing in The UK - LD

Network. https://ldnetwork.org/blog/challenges-of-healthcare-staffing-in-the-uk/

Dalingwater, L. (2019). NHS staffing shortages and the Brexit effect. Observatoire de La Société

Britannique, 24, Article 24. https://doi.org/10.4000/osb.3216

McCarey, M., & Dayan, M. (2022). Has Brexit affected the UK’s medical workforce? Nuffield

Trust. https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/has-brexit-affected-the-uk-s-medical-

workforce

McCarey, M., Dayan, M., Jarman, H., Hervey, T., Fahy, N., & Bristow, D. (2022, December 19).

The costs of Brexit make severe challenges even harder for the NHS and social care.

Nuffield Trust. https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/the-costs-of-brexit-make-

severe-challenges-even-harder-for-the-nhs-and-social-care

McHale, J. (2020). The impact of Brexit on the NHS. University of Birmingham.

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/perspective/impact-of-brexit-on-the-nhs.aspx

Reed, J. (2022, July 24). NHS in England facing worst staffing crisis in history, MPs warn.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-62267282
Waitzman, E. (2022). Staff shortages in the NHS and social care sectors.

https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/staff-shortages-in-the-nhs-and-social-care-sectors/
Appendix

Gibbs’ reflective cycle

Gibbs (1988, p.49) created his “structured debriefing” to support experiential learning. It was

designed as a continuous cycle of improvement for a repeated experience but can also be used to

reflect on a standalone experience. One of the key things about Gibbs is the acknowledgement of

the importance of Feelings in reflection. He also separates out Evaluation - what went well as

well as what didn’t. These extra stages make it a useful model for some practitioner courses but

some find them prescriptive.

Link: https://my.cumbria.ac.uk/media/MyCumbria/Documents/ReflectiveCycleGibbs.pdf
Excerpt one
Stage Description Application
Description Explain the event in question There is a deficit of doctors, nurses, lab
scientists, physiotherapists, and social
workers in the National Health Service.
Feelings Discuss your feelings and This circumstance makes me feel concern
thoughts about the experience. for the general public.
Evaluation Explain the effects and The staff shortage can make the medical
repercussions of the event personnel available feel overworked and
unable to give patients the best treatment
possible.
Analysis Make sense of what happened From an ethical point of view, the
and analyses the issues on shortage of healthcare staff raises
ground questions about the duty of care owed to
patients. In terms of a legal perceptive, the
shortage of personnel can bring about
potential breaches of healthcare standards
and the rights of citizens to healthcare.
Conclusion Explain what you have learnt The major cause of the staff shortage in
from the situation the health sector is the insufficient long-
term planning by the NHS
Action plan This sums up anything you need The funding for healthcare education and
to know and do to improve for training should be boosted and looking at
next time creative ways to improve recruiting and
retention initiatives.
Excerpt Two
Stage Description Application
Description Explain the event in question Brexit has led to uncertainties regarding
the immigration status of EU healthcare
personnels working in the UK.
Feelings Discuss your feelings and The uncertainty surrounding Brexit and its
thoughts about the experience. implications for immigration policies has
made me feel anxious for EU healthcare
workers
Evaluation Explain the effects and It will potentially lead to a talent drain as
repercussions of the event well as a difficulty in attracting new
talent.
Analysis Make sense of what happened Ethically, I believe that the fair treatment
and analyses the issues on of EU healthcare workers is essential as
ground they contribute to the delivery of health
and social care services. I am of the
opinion that immigration laws and
policies make it difficult for healthcare
worker to be employed from foreign
countries.
Conclusion Explain what you have learnt I believe that it is critical that authorities,
 from the situation healthcare institutions, and businesses in
other industries emphasize the well-being
and rights of EU workers impacted by
Brexit.
Action plan This sums up anything you need Efforts should be taken to clarify
to know and do to improve for immigration status, assist affected
next time workers, and establish fair and inclusive
regulations in order to retain talent and
preserve the viability of healthcare sector.