This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd9xnl9nvg3o
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Flu cases make NHS busier than ever with 95% of beds full | Flu cases make NHS busier than ever with 95% of beds full |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The NHS in England is busier than it has ever been heading into winter, the country’s medical director is warning. | The NHS in England is busier than it has ever been heading into winter, the country’s medical director is warning. |
| Prof Sir Stephen Powis said rising rates of flu and the vomiting bug norovirus were putting hospitals under huge strain. | Prof Sir Stephen Powis said rising rates of flu and the vomiting bug norovirus were putting hospitals under huge strain. |
| Around 95% of beds are already occupied at the start of December – rates normally only seen in the depths of winter. | Around 95% of beds are already occupied at the start of December – rates normally only seen in the depths of winter. |
| The warning comes as the prime minister has identified hitting the 18-week target for non-urgent hospital care as one of his six long-term priorities for government. | The warning comes as the prime minister has identified hitting the 18-week target for non-urgent hospital care as one of his six long-term priorities for government. |
| That prompted senior doctors to accuse the government of avoiding the immediate "crisis" facing the emergency system. | That prompted senior doctors to accuse the government of avoiding the immediate "crisis" facing the emergency system. |
| Last week two-thirds of ambulance faced delays when they dropped patients at A&E. | Last week two-thirds of ambulance faced delays when they dropped patients at A&E. |
| They are meant to be able to handover patients to hospital staff within 15 minutes of arriving, but last week 67% of arrivals took longer than that. | They are meant to be able to handover patients to hospital staff within 15 minutes of arriving, but last week 67% of arrivals took longer than that. |
| The average handover time was just over 44 minutes. | The average handover time was just over 44 minutes. |
| 'Deeply worrying' | 'Deeply worrying' |
| Dr Tim Cooksley, of the Society for Acute Medicine, said patients needing emergency care were facing "appalling conditions and prolonged waits". | Dr Tim Cooksley, of the Society for Acute Medicine, said patients needing emergency care were facing "appalling conditions and prolonged waits". |
| "It's an ongoing crisis which remains far from being resolved effectively. | "It's an ongoing crisis which remains far from being resolved effectively. |
| "The extra cases of winter viruses, such as Covid, flu and RSV, mean many hospitals will fall into critical incidents given the relentless challenges we have faced all year round. | "The extra cases of winter viruses, such as Covid, flu and RSV, mean many hospitals will fall into critical incidents given the relentless challenges we have faced all year round. |
| "Despite the positive rhetoric around tackling waiting lists, our concern is that the government continues to avoid acknowledging overtly that there will be no elective recovery without emergency care recovery. | "Despite the positive rhetoric around tackling waiting lists, our concern is that the government continues to avoid acknowledging overtly that there will be no elective recovery without emergency care recovery. |
| "The two are dependent and need a coherent, co-ordinated approach." | "The two are dependent and need a coherent, co-ordinated approach." |
| The winter data - the first of the season - also showed the numbers in hospital with flu had reached nearly 1,100, four times higher than at this stage last year. | The winter data - the first of the season - also showed the numbers in hospital with flu had reached nearly 1,100, four times higher than at this stage last year. |
| Nearly 1,400 beds were occupied by Covid patients and 750 by norovirus. Another 142 children were in hospital with RSV each day on average. | Nearly 1,400 beds were occupied by Covid patients and 750 by norovirus. Another 142 children were in hospital with RSV each day on average. |
| This is out of a total of 100,000 beds, but with 95,000 occupied there is very little wriggle room if these numbers continue to climb. | |
| The figures prompted Sir Stephen, the most senior doctor in England, to warn the next few months would be difficult. | The figures prompted Sir Stephen, the most senior doctor in England, to warn the next few months would be difficult. |
| “The NHS is busier than it has ever been before heading into winter, with flu and norovirus numbers in hospital rising sharply - and we are still only at the start of December, so we expect pressure to increase and there is a long winter ahead of us. | “The NHS is busier than it has ever been before heading into winter, with flu and norovirus numbers in hospital rising sharply - and we are still only at the start of December, so we expect pressure to increase and there is a long winter ahead of us. |
| “For a while there have been warnings of a ‘tripledemic’ of Covid, flu and RSV this winter, but with rising cases of norovirus this could fast become a ‘quad-demic’.” | “For a while there have been warnings of a ‘tripledemic’ of Covid, flu and RSV this winter, but with rising cases of norovirus this could fast become a ‘quad-demic’.” |
| Broken NHS | Broken NHS |
| Rory Deighton, of the NHS Confederation, which represents hospitals, said: “These figures are deeply worrying as they provide yet more evidence the NHS is already under considerable strain before the pressures of winter have peaked. | Rory Deighton, of the NHS Confederation, which represents hospitals, said: “These figures are deeply worrying as they provide yet more evidence the NHS is already under considerable strain before the pressures of winter have peaked. |
| “We knew that the health service was running hot, with A&Es, ambulances and general practice having their busiest October on record. | “We knew that the health service was running hot, with A&Es, ambulances and general practice having their busiest October on record. |
| "But it is clear that the impact from seasonal viruses is being felt much earlier than in previous years." | "But it is clear that the impact from seasonal viruses is being felt much earlier than in previous years." |
| Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the problems were not being ignored, saying Labour had inherited a "broken" NHS. | Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the problems were not being ignored, saying Labour had inherited a "broken" NHS. |
| He said the extra funding announced in the Budget and the resolution of strike action by doctors would help relieve the pressure this winter. | He said the extra funding announced in the Budget and the resolution of strike action by doctors would help relieve the pressure this winter. |
| And the 10-year plan to be published in the spring would help improve care "all year round". | And the 10-year plan to be published in the spring would help improve care "all year round". |