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| NHS pressure: Hospital corridors 'the new emergency wards' | NHS pressure: Hospital corridors 'the new emergency wards' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Hospital corridors are the new emergency wards, experts say, with growing numbers of patients finding themselves stuck on trolleys because there are no beds for them. | Hospital corridors are the new emergency wards, experts say, with growing numbers of patients finding themselves stuck on trolleys because there are no beds for them. |
| The warning comes as figures for the NHS in England showed January was one of the most difficult months on record. | The warning comes as figures for the NHS in England showed January was one of the most difficult months on record. |
| Record numbers of seriously-ill patients faced delays waiting for a bed - with 1,000 waiting over 12 hours. | Record numbers of seriously-ill patients faced delays waiting for a bed - with 1,000 waiting over 12 hours. |
| It comes despite the mass cancellation of routine treatments to ease pressure. | It comes despite the mass cancellation of routine treatments to ease pressure. |
| The move was ordered by NHS bosses before Christmas when it became clear hospitals were struggling. | The move was ordered by NHS bosses before Christmas when it became clear hospitals were struggling. |
| If you can't see the NHS Tracker, click or tap here. | If you can't see the NHS Tracker, click or tap here. |
| But the four-hour A&E target was still missed for the 30th month in a row; with 85.3% of patients seen, marginally better than the 85.1% in December. | But the four-hour A&E target was still missed for the 30th month in a row; with 85.3% of patients seen, marginally better than the 85.1% in December. |
| Similar performance is being recorded in Scotland, while Wales and Northern Ireland are doing even worse. | Similar performance is being recorded in Scotland, while Wales and Northern Ireland are doing even worse. |
| However, it was the issue of finding beds that has sparked most alarm. | However, it was the issue of finding beds that has sparked most alarm. |
| These are known as trolley waits, because patients often find themselves on trolleys in side-rooms and corridors until a bed comes free on a ward. | These are known as trolley waits, because patients often find themselves on trolleys in side-rooms and corridors until a bed comes free on a ward. |
| These tend to be the most seriously-ill patients, so doctors decide to admit them on to a ward rather than treat them in A&E. | These tend to be the most seriously-ill patients, so doctors decide to admit them on to a ward rather than treat them in A&E. |
| Some 81,000 waited more than four hours for a bed in England - one in five of the 390,000 people who needed to be admitted. | Some 81,000 waited more than four hours for a bed in England - one in five of the 390,000 people who needed to be admitted. |
| Both the four-hour and 12-hour figures for trolley waits were the worst on record - figures go back to 2010. | Both the four-hour and 12-hour figures for trolley waits were the worst on record - figures go back to 2010. |
| But this does come amid rising numbers of A&E attendances. | But this does come amid rising numbers of A&E attendances. |
| The data from NHS England shows more than two million patients came to A&E during the month, a rise of more than 5% in a year. | The data from NHS England shows more than two million patients came to A&E during the month, a rise of more than 5% in a year. |
| Health bosses said with that in mind - and the high levels of flu that have been seen in the worst outbreak since 2011 - the NHS has performed well. | Health bosses said with that in mind - and the high levels of flu that have been seen in the worst outbreak since 2011 - the NHS has performed well. |
| Ian Dalton, chief executive at the regulator NHS Improvement, said it was a "testament" to the dedication of staff that performance had not declined further. | Ian Dalton, chief executive at the regulator NHS Improvement, said it was a "testament" to the dedication of staff that performance had not declined further. |
| But Prof John Appleby, chief economist at the Nuffield Trust think-tank, said the health service was "creaking at the seams". | But Prof John Appleby, chief economist at the Nuffield Trust think-tank, said the health service was "creaking at the seams". |
| He said the growing number of trolley waits showed "corridors had become the new emergency wards". | He said the growing number of trolley waits showed "corridors had become the new emergency wards". |
| A spokesperson for the Royal College of Surgeons said: "These figures show just how tough it was for hospitals this winter despite cancellation of planned surgery to free up capacity. | A spokesperson for the Royal College of Surgeons said: "These figures show just how tough it was for hospitals this winter despite cancellation of planned surgery to free up capacity. |
| "Surgeons and other frontline NHS staff are working tirelessly to provide the best care possible to patients. But today's figures show that these short-term measures are insufficient to meet NHS targets." | "Surgeons and other frontline NHS staff are working tirelessly to provide the best care possible to patients. But today's figures show that these short-term measures are insufficient to meet NHS targets." |
| Additional reporting by Clara Guibourg | Additional reporting by Clara Guibourg |