Pressat

Patients Association Statement: NHS and Social Care System Failing Most Vulnerable

Friday 25 October, 2024

London, 25th October 2024: Today's Care Quality Commission (CQC) State of Care report reveals a healthcare system failing on multiple fronts, with deepening inequalities, critical safety concerns, and unacceptable waiting times across all services. From maternity care to mental health, from GP access to hospital discharges, the evidence shows a system that is increasingly unable to meet even basic care needs. Most worryingly, it is society's most vulnerable who are bearing the brunt of these systemic failures, as health inequalities continue to detrimentally impact patients:



These aren't just statistics – they represent real suffering that could be prevented. While NHS reform is crucial, health inequalities are rooted in poverty, housing, education, and employment.


The crisis extends across all healthcare settings:



We're calling on the government to launch an urgent cross-department action plan that:



We need joined-up action across government departments now, before these inequalities become even more deeply embedded in our society.

-Ends-

Notes to editors

About the Patients Association


The Patients Association is an independent patient charity campaigning for improvements in health and social care for patients. We believe patients should be actively involved in decisions made about their care and in the design of the health and care system. As an independent charity campaigning for improvements in health and social care, we believe improvements can only be achieved if the system works in partnership with patients. Through our helpline and information services we provide information to thousands of people each year about the health and social care system, enabling them to advocate for themselves.




Distributed by Pressat