Government’s plan to tackle winter crisis lacks concrete proposals to retain staff, say health leaders

The health and social care secretary, Steve Barclay, has announced how the government plans to prepare the NHS for winter and beyond. In his speech, Mr Barclay said that effective operational management of the NHS will be crucial. In particular, the government hopes to identify where accountability sits for delayed discharge. A key focus this summer has been addressing ambulance handover delays, after the winter of 2021/22 saw the greatest number of delays compared to any previous years. This has, in part, been caused by a lack of beds in social care, which has left patients who are medically fit