Hospitals issue major crisis alerts as pressure mounts

More than four in 10 hospitals declared a major alert in the first week of the year to indicate they were struggling to cope with increasing demand.

Official figures show 65 out of 152 trusts issued operational pressure alerts as bed shortages intensified.

NHS hospitals issued 222 serious alerts in six days to say they were experiencing major pressures.

The NHS England data, which covers the period up to last Sunday, reveals the number of alerts was more than six times higher than the previous six days.

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Across the six days from 2 to 8 January there were 222 operational pressure alerts at either level 3 or 4, compared to 34 from 28 December to 2 January.

Major alerts are triggered when hospitals are unable to see patients quickly enough, which could put their safety in danger.

The figures show that overall, 59 NHS trusts reported they were either at level 3 or 4 on at least one day, while a further eight reported level 4 at least once during the week, which meant that patient safety was at risk.

In total, 25 trusts declared major alerts every day between 3 and 8 January.

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According to official NHS guidance, level 3 is when the local health and social care system "is experiencing major pressures compromising patient flow and continues to increase" and "external support may be required".

Level 4 is the most serious and shows that pressure "continues to escalate, leaving organisations unable to deliver comprehensive care", with "increased potential for patient care and safety to be compromised".

A number of trusts say they have cancelled operations and procedures to ease pressure.

The John Radcliffe in Oxford said it had cancelled all non-urgent planned operations and admissions on Friday and Monday.

About 20 procedures have been cancelled at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, while planned procedures have also been postponed at Leicester's Hospitals.

Health service bosses have warned that the flu peak has not yet hit the NHS.

The Royal Surrey hospital in Guildford, which serves some of Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s constituents, said it had been forced to turn a gym into a place to put extra beds as it became overwhelmed with patients.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said: "When hospitals face this kind of pressure day after day, there can be no doubt patient care will suffer."

Prime Minister Theresa May told MPs on Thursday there had been a "small" number of instances of bad practice in the NHS. On Friday, she acknowledged the health service was "under pressure".

:: Trusts that declared alerts every day

Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, North Bristol NHS Trust, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Isle Of Wight NHS Trust.

:: Trusts that issued a level 4 alert

University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, North Bristol NHS Trust, Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust and Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust.