Ambulance delays and hospital flu cases hit new highs as the NHS continues to grapple with bed shortages and a flood of winter viruses.
More than a quarter (26 percent) of patients waited more than an hour to be transferred to the emergency room, and about four in ten (44 percent) waited at least 30 minutes. For comparison, last year 10% waited for this moment for more than an hour.
The delays reflect the ongoing struggle of hospitals to accommodate new arrivals. Last week, an average of 12,809 beds per day were occupied by out-of-country patients – so-called “bed blockers” – almost a third more than at this point in the previous year (9,858).
On average, there were 5,105 flu patients in general hospital beds last week, up 47% from the previous week and nearly seven times the number in early December, data from NHS England showed.
The number of patients in intensive care units also skyrocketed, rising 26 percent in a week from 267 to 336. So far last winter, there were only 38 flu patients in hospitals and only two in intensive care.
The number of Covid-19 cases in the UK has reached its highest level since the summer, with almost three million people likely to have contracted the virus over Christmas, according to the Office for National Statistics. In the week ending December 28, an estimated 2.97 million people in homes became ill with the coronavirus, more than double the number at the beginning of the month.
NHS England National Medical Director Professor Sir Stephen Powys said: “We knew this winter would be one of the toughest in NHS history and I would like to thank the staff for all their hard work finding and being treated this winter. many patients as they face record demand for services, including massive influenza and the Covid strain.
“The plans we announced last fall ensure we are in the best place to care for patients during this incredibly challenging time, with additional on-call and community services to keep people out of the hospital where possible, and we continue to good progress and add the equivalent of 7,000 additional beds by March.”
During a visit to the hospital on Friday, Health Secretary Steve Barclay was asked how safe the NHS is for patients at the moment. Without directly commenting on safety levels, he cited the impact of the pandemic and rising flu cases on the agency’s current burden.
Mr Barclay said: “We acknowledge that due to this dramatic increase in influenza cases from 43 cases around the same time last year to more than 5,100, in addition to the pressure from Covid and the further pressure of the pandemic, which has put enormous pressure on on the NHS, especially during the Christmas period when basic needs and community service are easier than at other times.
He added that the government is allocating additional money to address the problem, with a focus on “discharging people from the hospital who are ready to leave the hospital but are often late for their rooms.”
At Watford General in Hertfordshire, Mr Barclay visited a virtual ward that uses technology and support from community groups to provide remote care and monitoring for patients so they can stay at home.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak acknowledged that the NHS is under “tremendous pressure” and reaffirmed his commitment to tackling waitlist issues, once again placing the blame for the current problems on the Covid-19 pandemic.
Visiting a school in London on Friday, Mr Sunak told broadcasters: “Obviously the NHS is under tremendous pressure as we recover from Covid and I have a lot of admiration for all the people who are working incredibly hard at the NHS at the moment to help us. in that. what to sleep.
“We are supporting them with billions of pounds of additional funding, but what we want to do especially this winter is to make sure we get people out of hospitals and into social care, into communities – that is one of the strongest opportunities we have. part to overcome excessively long waiting times in emergency rooms and ambulances.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.