A CARLISLE GP and co-chair of the Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) has said that ‘enough is enough’ with the current situation NHS.

The NHS has come under severe pressure since the start of the pandemic with services and staff under strain and waiting lists the longest on record.

Strike action began across the NHS in December with action from hospital staff.

Carlisle GP Dr Ellen Welch has said that the pressure is so great that “loved ones are suffering due to systemic failures and staff are crying out for help.”

“The government needs to recognise how valuable NHS staff are and do everything within their power to invest in them,” said Ellen.

“The workforce continues to decline as burned-out staff realise the job is breaking them — it is within the power of this government to invest in the NHS to make it a better place.”

The DAUK have called on members of the public to sign an open letter ‘imploring’ Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to ‘immediately’ recall parliament to hold an emergency debate on the future of the ‘broken’ NHS.

The letter claims that the NHS is underfunded and that across the country up to 500 people are dying due to delays in emergency care.

In response to the claims made in the DAUK open letter to Rishi Sunak, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We recognise the pressures the NHS is facing following the impact of the pandemic and are working tirelessly to ensure people get the care they need, backed by up to £14.1billion additional funding for health and social care over the next two years.

“This winter, the government has provided an extra £500 million to speed up hospital discharge and free up beds – and the NHS is creating the equivalent of at least 7,000 more beds to help reduce A&E waits and get ambulances back on the road.

“We’re supporting and growing the health and social care workforce through training and recruitment campaigns at home and abroad, and there are record numbers of staff working for the NHS, including 9,300 more nurses and almost 4,000 more doctors compared to September 2021.”

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