NHS winter crisis continues to impact the nation’s hospitals
Patients across England faced huge delays in major A&E departments in December, as the NHS winter crisis continues to impact the nation’s hospitals.
Almost half (44.7%) of all arrivals at major “Type 1” A&Es took more than four hours from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge, according to the latest NHS figures released today.
That’s up from 43.0% in November, but is lower than the 45.3% in December 2023 and 50.4% in December 2022, the highest on record for any month.
Things were particularly bad at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, where almost two thirds (64.3%) of all arrivals at Type 1 A&Es had to wait over four hours.
At Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust it was 63.7% and at North Tees And Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust it was 62.4%
It comes as two Somerset hospitals have declared critical incidents due to sharp rises in patients presenting with flu and other respiratory illnesses. Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton and Yeovil Hospital have joined more than a dozen hospitals across the UK which have declared critical incidents due to "extremely high demand" for their services, especially within their accident and emergency departments.
The Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (which manages both hospitals) has sought to reassure the public, issuing advice for those attending both A&E and regular outpatient appointments. A spokesman said: "Like many other hospitals in the region and across the country, we have seen a significant increase in the number of flu and respiratory illness cases.
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"Colleagues and teams from across the trust have been working exceptionally hard to see and treat our patients as quickly as possible during times of huge demand. We are also working closely with our health and care partners to ensure that patients who are ready to leave hospital can be discharged, at the earliest opportunity.
"Patient safety is our top priority and colleagues from across the trust are working together to ensure that we can continue to provide urgent and emergency care for all patients, and to keep as many routine services running as possible." While the critical incident is in effect, those needing to attend A&E should try to do so alone if possible, due to "very limited" space within the waiting areas of both departments.
Those attending should expect longer waiting times, and patients may be redirected to alternative NHS services - including Somerset's urgent treatment centres (which have largely replaced its minor injuries units), your local GP, a pharmacist or the NHS 111 service. Some non-urgent, planned treatments and appointments may need to be postponed as staff from across the hospitals seek to assist their colleagues within the emergency department.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people had to spend more than half a day waiting for a bed.
A total of 54,207 attendances at A&Es in December had to wait over 12 hours from decision to admit to admission.
That’s the third highest total on record and is up from 44,045 people in December 2023, but below the peak of 54,573 in December 2022.
A total of 1,894 arrivals at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust had to wait over 12 hours, which is more than at any trust in England.
More than half (53.0%) of arrivals at North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust had to wait over 12 hours, however, which is the highest proportion in the country.
The NHS experienced one of its busiest Decembers on record, with a total of 2.35 million attending A&Es across England. More than half of those (1.44 million) were at major “Type 1” A&E departments, which are consultant-led 24-hour service with full resuscitation facilities and designated accommodation for the reception of accident and emergency patients.
One area where things are improving, however, is with NHS waiting lists.
Keir Starmer unveiled his plans to reduce waiting lists on Monday.
His announcement comes as waiting lists fell for a third consecutive month in November, with 7.47 million now waiting to start treatment.
That’s 61,000 fewer than in October.
The number on the waiting list for over a year also fell, with 221,889 now waiting for over 52 weeks. It means just 3,0% of those on the waiting list have been there for over a year, down from the post covid outbreak peak of 8.8% back in March 2021.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said: “It is clear that hospitals are under exceptional pressure at the start of this new year, with mammoth demand stemming from this ongoing cold weather snap and respiratory viruses like flu – all on the back of 2024 being the busiest year on record for A&E and ambulance teams.
“I never fail to be impressed by the remarkable job that NHS staff across a range of services in the face of current challenges, remaining compassionate, professional and doing everything they can to see patients as quickly as possible while often working in hospitals that are full to bursting. It is hard to quantify just through the data how tough it is for frontline staff at the moment – with some staff working in A&E saying that their days at work feel like some of the days we had during the height of the pandemic.
“That hard work and resilience from staff, alongside vital tools like surgical hubs and community diagnostic centres that keep planned care isolated from winter pressure, meant the waiting list fell again in November to 7.48 million, with the NHS delivering 5% more activity than the same period pre-pandemic.
“As the incredibly busy winter continues and hospitals clearly experience intense pressure, please do continue to only use 999 and A&E in life-threatening emergencies and use NHS 111 and 111 online for other conditions, as well as using your local GP and pharmacy services in the usual way.”
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said: “In the past 6 months, we have ended the junior doctors’ strikes so staff are on the front line not the picket line for the first winter in 3 years, and introduced the new RSV vaccine. But despite the best efforts of staff, patients are still receiving unacceptable standards of care.
“Although this winter’s campaign vaccinated more people than last winter, this strain of flu has hit hard, putting more than three times as many patients into hospital compared to this time last year.
“Annual winter pressures should not mean an annual winter crisis, which is why this government is making significant investment in the NHS, undertaking fundamental reform, and acting now to improve social care. It will take time to turn the NHS around, but the fact that waiting lists are now falling shows that change is possible.”