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Major alerts 'at many hospitals' Major alerts 'at many hospitals'
(about 2 hours later)
Over four in 10 hospitals in England declared a major alert in the first week of the year as they encountered unprecedented pressures. More than four in 10 hospitals in England declared a major alert in the first week of the new year as they encountered unprecedented pressures.
Sixty-six out of 152 trusts raised the alarm as mounting bed shortages led to large numbers of patients experiencing trolley waits and delays in A&E.Sixty-six out of 152 trusts raised the alarm as mounting bed shortages led to large numbers of patients experiencing trolley waits and delays in A&E.
Data leaked to the BBC earlier this week suggested just one trust hit its four-hour A&E target. Data leaked to the BBC earlier this week suggested only one trust hit its four-hour A&E target.
But now official figures have revealed more about the scale of the problem.But now official figures have revealed more about the scale of the problem.
The number of major alerts, which used to be known as red and black alerts, is the highest of the winter.The number of major alerts, which used to be known as red and black alerts, is the highest of the winter.
And performance against the four-hour target appears to have sunk to its lowest level since the target was first introduced in 2004.And performance against the four-hour target appears to have sunk to its lowest level since the target was first introduced in 2004.
Major alerts are raised when hospitals are struggling to see patients quickly enough.Major alerts are raised when hospitals are struggling to see patients quickly enough.
To cope, hospitals have to start calling in extra staff, cancelling routine treatments, such as knee and hip operations, and diverting ambulances away from their hospital - this happened at 39 A&E units.To cope, hospitals have to start calling in extra staff, cancelling routine treatments, such as knee and hip operations, and diverting ambulances away from their hospital - this happened at 39 A&E units.
The ultimate step is a full closure of A&E, but none took this step, the NHS England update showed.The ultimate step is a full closure of A&E, but none took this step, the NHS England update showed.
Using the official data and leaked figures, the BBC can now reveal:Using the official data and leaked figures, the BBC can now reveal:
Dr Chris Moulton, of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: "It was an incredibly hard week in a very difficult winter. It is probably the most challenging it has been for 15 years. Nearly half of patients attending Weston Area Hospital in Somerset spent more than four hours in A&E. The trust said it had been a difficult week and it had opened extra "escalation" beds to help.
"All hospitals are experiencing difficulties - and the same is true in Wales and Northern Ireland and, to a lesser extent, Scotland." "Our staff in A&E have been working valiantly," a spokesman added.
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs three hospitals, was one of the trusts that spent the rest of the week after the new year bank holiday on major alert.
The trust's director of nursing, David Melia, said the trust had been doing all it could "to alleviate the pressures" by opening up extra beds and putting more doctors on the wards.
He said all hospitals in the country were "busier than usual" .
Dr Chris Moulton, of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, who works at Bolton Hospital, which ran out of beds at one point last week, agreed.
He said: "It has been a really difficult week for everyone. We are in the middle of what is probably the most challenging period for the past 15 years.
"Despite what ministers say, this is not just isolated to one or two cases as the latest figures show. And it is not just in England, elsewhere in the UK our members tell us they are under real pressure."
In Northern Ireland, nearly four in 10 patients waited more than four hours in A&E during the Christmas period. Hospitals also reported having to temporarily close A&E units to ambulances.
In Wales data is only available for September, but even that showed nearly one in five patients were waiting longer than four hours.
Scotland is performing better. In the Christmas and new year week 92% of patients going to major hospitals were seen in four hours.