RECENT reports show that more than 1,000 patients a day are taking up beds in NHS hospitals because nobody is available to look after them at home.

The solution to this NHS crisis is more than just throwing money at the problem – it is about careful management and spending money wisely.

In recent years the NHS has spent millions on art, and local hospitals employ huge amounts of back end staff in non-medical functions, many doing what has been referred to as “non-jobs”.

While cutting services and medical staff, NHS hospitals have hired huge numbers of spin doctors, and, in one case, an “EU office director” and an “arts in the hospital co-ordinator”. The NHS is currently advertising a London-based senior media manager position for which it is offering an annual salary of £53,367 – enough to hire two nurses for the year.

The NHS needs to be refocused upon patient care. Is it acceptable for the NHS to lay off medical staff, shut A&Es and cut key services but still spend millions on art and legions of PR staff that do nothing to deliver frontline patient care? I don’t think so.

Jonathan Arnott MEP, Ukip North-East