Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.
Warwick Hospital, South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, Warwick, UK.
Clin Otolaryngol. 2024 Sep;49(5):682-686. doi: 10.1111/coa.14190. Epub 2024 Jun 19.
Effective medical staffing is pivotal for a successful healthcare system, demanding strategic planning to ensure a high-quality service. Although the UK's doctor to population ratio has improved over time, it remains below global averages. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges, resulting in an unprecedented NHS waiting list with Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) surgeries ranking third highest in waiting times amongst all specialties.
This study utilized a national jotform survey to gather data from ENTUK members, primarily focusing on consultant staffing within ENT departments across the UK. Additional information collected encompassed registration status, part-time roles, gender, vacancies, locum roles, associate specialists, registrars and other junior doctors, and advanced nurse practitioners. When survey responses were inadequate, direct communication was established with departmental consultants or secretaries, followed by Freedom of Information requests as necessary. All data were compiled using Microsoft Excel.
Among the 65 responses to the ENTUK survey, 53 individual trusts were identified. These included 41 English acute trusts, with supplementary participation from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Data from 749 consultants across 115 English acute trusts were collected in combination with a Freedom of Information request.
Despite an increased number of ENT consultants, the persistence of unfilled posts coincides with mounting waiting lists. The pandemic's effects, including early retirements and part-time roles, emphasise the urgency of expanding training positions to counterbalance these shifts. Local and national interventions are essential to fortify and diversify the ENT workforce through a variety of strategies.
有效的医疗人员配备对于成功的医疗体系至关重要，需要进行战略规划以确保高质量的服务。尽管英国的医生与人口比例随着时间的推移有所提高，但仍低于全球平均水平。COVID-19 大流行加剧了现有挑战，导致国民保健服务（NHS）的等候名单前所未有，耳鼻喉科（ENT）手术在所有专科中等待时间排名第三。
本研究使用全国 jotform 调查从 ENTUK 成员那里收集数据，主要集中在英国 ENT 部门的顾问人员配备上。收集的其他信息包括注册状态、兼职角色、性别、空缺、临时角色、副专家、住院医师和其他初级医生以及高级护师。当调查回复不足时，与部门顾问或秘书直接沟通，必要时进行信息自由请求。所有数据均使用 Microsoft Excel 编制。
在对 ENTUK 调查的 65 份回复中，确定了 53 个单独的信托基金。其中包括 41 个英格兰急症信托基金，并得到苏格兰、威尔士和北爱尔兰的补充参与。结合信息自由请求，共收集了来自 115 个英格兰急症信托基金的 749 名顾问的数据。
尽管 ENT 顾问人数有所增加，但职位空缺的情况仍在继续，与不断增加的等候名单相吻合。大流行的影响，包括提前退休和兼职，强调了扩大培训职位的紧迫性，以平衡这些变化。地方和国家的干预措施对于通过各种策略加强和多样化 ENT 劳动力至关重要。
