Insufficient clinical staffing capacity for timely surgical care
First to latest report 18 Oct 2013 — 5 Jun 2025
Reports that mention this concern
5
Times this concern has been raised
6
Stated actions linked to this concern
10
What this concern includes
Includes deficiencies in the availability, experience, skill mix or deployment of clinical staff that directly delay or threaten timely surgical assessment, review, transfer or treatment, including weekend or out-of-hours cover and persistent ward staffing shortfalls.
What is not included
Excludes generic workforce, funding or recruitment concerns without a direct effect on timely surgical care.
Excludes non-surgical staffing deficiencies, including mental-health, prison, social-care or emergency-call staffing, unless the report explicitly links them to surgical care.
Excludes failures of surgical decision-making, referral, equipment or bed capacity where insufficient clinical staffing is not the unsafe condition.
Excludes isolated clinician competence failures that do not indicate a staffing-capacity or cover deficiency.
Trends
Reports over time
Reports mentioning this concern, over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Barts Health NHS Trust1
Department of Health and Social Care1
NHS England1
Royal Stoke University Hospital1
Stepping Hill Hospital1
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust1
Healthcare site2
NHS trust2
Executive non-departmental public body1
Ministerial department1
Reports and published responses 5 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
Birmingham and Solihull
Concerns raised1
Failure to provide N+1 onsite perfusionist coverage for simultaneous out-of-hours CPB procedures
Linked response
Department of Health and Social Care
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
Department of Health and Social Care
Determining safe perfusionist staffing levels, including out-of-hours cover, is the responsibility of individual NHS trusts and employers.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
Concerns raised2
Failure to maintain sufficient staffing and funding capacity for timely surgery
Failure to ensure adequate and experienced staffing for Friday injuries
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
NHS England
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.6
NHS England
Increase urgent and emergency care capacity, including funding additional capacity and 5,000 new beds.
NHS England
Train, retain and reform the NHS workforce through the Long Term Workforce Plan.
NHS England
Increase elective care capacity, prioritise diagnosis and treatment, transform care delivery, and improve patient information and support.
NHS England
Develop local workforce planning and distribute future training posts to match doctors’ supply with population need.
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Operate a dedicated fragility-fracture theatre list five days per week.
NHS England
Implement seven-day clinical standards and require acute trusts to provide board assurance of compliance.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
NHS England
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care System is responsible for local urgent and emergency care workforce arrangements.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
Failure to ensure appropriate staffing arrangements for high-risk postoperative care
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
Barts Health NHS Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
Barts Health NHS Trust
Enhance out-of-hours surgical cover to provide daily review of acute inpatients seven days a week.
Barts Health NHS Trust
Increase surgical department doctor numbers and maintain a broader mix of skills across shifts.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
Barts Health NHS Trust
Seven-day operational coverage and prepared weekend staff are considered sufficient for high-risk surgery and postoperative care.
Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Barts Health NHS Trust
General surgical wards, skilled staff, and daily renal-team availability are considered sufficient for managing high-risk renal patients.
Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Staffordshire South
Concerns raised1
Lack of surgical cover at County Hospital
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Realign surgical services so County Hospital has no inpatient general surgery and senior surgeons remain available on site through continuing day-case services.
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Introduce and operate a surgical referral procedure providing on-site consultant coverage, same-day review efforts, and direct referral access to the responsible consultant.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Existing consultant surgeons and the surgical referral procedure provide surgical availability at County Hospital, so additional mid-grade surgical cover is not indicated.
Existing arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
Insufficient surgeon capacity for laparoscopic surgery and urgent patient assessment
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.