Calls for healthcare staff and other key workers to be a priority for fuel
Healthcare staff and other key workers should have priority access to fuel amid supply issues, leading unions have warned.
The British Medical Association (BMA) said that as pumps run dry āthere is a real risk that NHS staff wonāt be able to do their jobsā.
Unison called on ministers to use emergency powers to ādesignate fuel stations for the sole use of key workersā.
And the Royal College of Nursing warned that the fuel supply problems could see patient care compromised as it backed calls for health and care workers to be prioritised.
It comes amid reports of doctors being unable to get to work due to the fuel crisis.
šØIām hearing from doctors who canāt get to work because they donāt have enough fuel. What are you going to do about it @BorisJohnson? šØ
ā Dr Julia Grace Pattersonš (@JujuliaGrace) September 27, 2021
Campaign group EveryDoctor said that at least one NHS organisation held an emergency meeting after staff were unable to attend.
A hospital consultant in Bedfordshire told the organisation, which represents 1,700 doctors: āWe had an emergency discussion this morning. Two consultants in our department are out and canāt get to work. Two others on reserve. All four petrol stations within four miles of our hospital are closed with no fuel.ā
But the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) insisted that deliveries of essential medication were continuing as usual to pharmacies as it encouraged patients to collect prescriptions in their usual way.
Hospital consultant, Bedfordshire:
āWe had an emergency discussion this morning. 2 consultants in our department are out and canāt get to work. 2 others on reserve. All 4 petrol stations within 4 miles of our hospital are closed with no fuel.ā šØ
ā Dr Julia Grace Pattersonš (@JujuliaGrace) September 27, 2021
Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of council at the BMA, said: āEmergency and essential workers rely on fuel both to travel to work and for their work itself ā whether this is to get to hospitals, practices and other healthcare settings, or for ambulances to reach people in urgent need of care and GPs to visit very ill patients at home.
āEveryone will have their own reasons for needing to fill up, but as pumps run dry there is a real risk that NHS staff wonāt be able to do their jobs and provide vital services and care to people who urgently need it.
āWhile the Government has said it is putting plans in place to alleviate the shortage of HGV drivers to transport fuel, the results of this wonāt be immediate.
āHealthcare and essential workers must therefore be given priority access to fuel so they can continue their crucial work and guarantee care to patients.ā
Our chair of council @CNagpaul has spoken out today on fuel supply issues, calling for healthcare workers to be given priority access to fuel so that care to patients can be guaranteed.
Read our full press note šhttps://t.co/Har3mvIJxt
ā The BMA (@TheBMA) September 27, 2021
Unisonās general secretary Christina McAnea said: āThe Government has to take control. Itās no good ministers wasting time on a pointless blame game or pretending thereās no problem.
āEssential staff must be able to get to their jobs so they can continue to provide the services so many rely upon.
āAmbulance crews, nurses, care workers, teaching assistants, police staff and other key workers mustnāt be left stranded or forced to queue for hours simply to get to a pump.
āThe Government could solve this problem now by using emergency powers to designate fuel stations for the sole use of key workers.ā
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also said designated petrol stations should be reserved for essential workers, adding: āIn the fuel crisis of September 2000, the government brought in rules designating specific filling stations for essential workers, enabling the capital to keep moving.
āThe Government must urgently look at taking the necessary steps so that those key workers who have to drive to work can do so.ā
Patricia Marquis, director for England at the Royal College of Nursing, said healthcare services ācannot afford to lose any more staff because theyāre unable to travelā.
āWe already know some nursing staff are warning their employers they may not be able to attend tomorrow to ensure shifts can be safely staffed,ā she said.
āIn light of these supply problems, health and care workers need to be a priority or patient care will be compromised.ā
Dr Julia Grace Patterson, chief executive of EveryDoctor, said: āOur Health Secretary Sajid Javid has been critical of telephone consultations recently ā he clearly believes face-to-face appointments are necessary.
āWe therefore need to know urgently what the Governmentās plan is to ensure that all NHS staff can reach their workplaces safely during this fuel crisis.
āDoctors are desperately concerned about patients and the Government must take responsibility and find a solution.ā