New data shows that NHS funds are still under intense pressure due to the number of so-called “bed blockers” in hospitals.
In the seven days leading up to Sunday, January 15, an average of 14,036 beds were occupied by healthy patients, according to the NHS, slightly down from a record 14,069 the week before.
Last year there were 12,498. The percentage of patients who were ready to leave the hospital but stayed in bed last week was 59 percent, up from a record 63 percent in the week ending Jan. 1.
Ministers will spend up to £250m to buy thousands of additional nursing home beds to expedite the discharge of patients from hospitals and ease the burden on hospitals, the government announced this month. It is hoped that the extra money will free up hospital beds so people can be transferred from emergency rooms to wards more quickly, reducing pressure on the emergency department and speeding up the movement of ambulances.
Encouragingly, the number of flu patients hospitalized in England has dropped by more than a third in a week, and the trusts are hoping this is the latest sign that the current wave of infections may have peaked. Last week, an average of 3,447 flu patients were in hospital beds each day, down 35% from 5,262 in the seven days to Sunday 8 January, according to NHS England. Last winter there were only 41.
NHS data also shows delays in ambulances leaving hospitals in England have dropped to their lowest levels this winter. Overall, 23 percent of ER patients waited at least 30 minutes before being taken to the emergency room last week, up from 36 percent a week earlier. In the week ending January 1, that number hit a record 44 percent.
Last week, about 9% of patients waited more than an hour to be transferred to ambulance teams – again the lowest figure this winter and a decrease of 19% from a week.
NHS National Medical Director Prof Sir Stephen Powys said: “These numbers show the NHS remains under significant pressure – with a near-record number of people in hospital medically able to leave the hospital and a large number of occupied beds. in hospitals throughout England.
“The National Health Service has made thorough preparations for this winter – providing extra beds, fall services and 24/7 nationwide monitoring centers to monitor and manage demand. The public can also help by accessing the best services for their condition – 999 for emergencies and online 111 for other cases, and there is still time to get vaccinated if they qualify.”
Meanwhile, thousands of nurses across England continue to strike for wages, while about 1,000 ambulance workers in Wales have also left. The NHS advises people who are seriously injured or sick to continue calling 999 but call 111 or visit the 111 non-emergency website.
It comes at a time when health leaders are starting to make contingency plans for what could be the biggest strike in NHS history. Unions representing nurses will go on strike on Monday, February 6th. More strikes are planned for February and March and both the NHS Confederation and NHS providers are raising concerns about how the NHS is handling the situation and urging the government to talk to unions about wages.
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.