Editor's comment: time for change

As the NHS hurtles towards its 70th birthday, on 5 July, it’s hard to know what the next crisis will be.

We’ll all of us be lucky to reach 70 without some ailments. But,as physio staff know, with a little bit of tender loving care or TLC and a generous helping of exercise, it’s still possible to enjoy life well into our eighth decade and beyond. 
 
Despite all the best endeavours of it staff, there seems to be a shortage of TLC when it comes to adequate funding for the NHS at the moment. 
 
The Royal College of Physicians says that doctors are struggling with staff shortages and that patient care has deteriorated in the last year. As I write, non-medical healthcare staff are about to get a pay offer from the government. CSP members, along with nurses and other allied health professionals, will need to decide on the merits of that offer. Keep up-to-date with this news on this online. The strength of feeling among CSP members at this month’s annual representative (ARC) conference in Manchester was palpable. From motions on pay through to motions on austerity, they wanted things to get better. 
 
And, as chief executive Karen Middleton reminded delegates, it’s the compassion of members who fight to provide a good service:
 
  • often in extremely difficult circumstances, 
  • that marks out their professionalism. 
You can read some of the debates from the event on pages 14-17.
 
  • Lynn Eaton managing editor Frontline and head of CSP member communications  eatonl@csp.org.uk
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Lynn Eaton managing editor Frontline and head of CSP member communications

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