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Some A&Es in complete state of crisis, warn health chiefs Some A&Es in complete state of crisis, warn health chiefs
(32 minutes later)
Some A&E departments are in a "complete state of crisis", the Royal College of Emergency Medicine has said, as it highlighted the extreme pressures facing the NHS this winter.Some A&E departments are in a "complete state of crisis", the Royal College of Emergency Medicine has said, as it highlighted the extreme pressures facing the NHS this winter.
Dr Ian Higginson, the college's vice-president, said he was in "no doubt" there was a risk to patients.Dr Ian Higginson, the college's vice-president, said he was in "no doubt" there was a risk to patients.
Hospitals are facing soaring demands, which experts believe is in part driven by winter illnesses like flu and Covid.Hospitals are facing soaring demands, which experts believe is in part driven by winter illnesses like flu and Covid.
The government said it recognised the pressures faced by the NHS.The government said it recognised the pressures faced by the NHS.
According to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) - which monitors standards of care in UK A&E departments - the NHS is facing the worst winter for A&E waits on record. According to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine - which monitors standards of care in UK A&E departments - the NHS is facing the worst winter for A&E waits on record.
A number of hospitals have declared critical incidents in recent days, meaning they cannot function as usual due to extraordinary pressure.A number of hospitals have declared critical incidents in recent days, meaning they cannot function as usual due to extraordinary pressure.
Other trusts have told patients to avoid emergency departments unless their condition is life-threatening.Other trusts have told patients to avoid emergency departments unless their condition is life-threatening.
Emergency consultant Dr Higginson told BBC Radio 5 Live the waits being experienced by patients in emergency departments were "appalling" - and said he had heard of waits of up to four days.Emergency consultant Dr Higginson told BBC Radio 5 Live the waits being experienced by patients in emergency departments were "appalling" - and said he had heard of waits of up to four days.
"Emergency departments are in a really difficult and in some cases a complete state of crisis right now... and in many cases we are unable to provide care at the standard we would like."Emergency departments are in a really difficult and in some cases a complete state of crisis right now... and in many cases we are unable to provide care at the standard we would like.
"There's no doubt that if you can't get an ambulance to someone who's having a heart attack or a stroke, that some of those patients are going to come to harm and may die as a result of that."There's no doubt that if you can't get an ambulance to someone who's having a heart attack or a stroke, that some of those patients are going to come to harm and may die as a result of that.
"And there's no doubt that when we're trying to treat frail, elderly vulnerable patients on trolleys in corridors that we can't do the best thing by them. ""And there's no doubt that when we're trying to treat frail, elderly vulnerable patients on trolleys in corridors that we can't do the best thing by them. "
He said staff were doing their best, but investment was needed to support the health service.He said staff were doing their best, but investment was needed to support the health service.
And he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This is a real problem, it's happening now in our emergency departments, and we need to acknowledge it."And he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This is a real problem, it's happening now in our emergency departments, and we need to acknowledge it."
He added: "If you're at the front line, you know this is a long-standing problem. This isn't a short-term thing. The sort of things we're seeing happen every winter, and it still seems to come as a surprise to the NHS. It gets worse every winter." He added it was a long-standing problem every winter and politicians needed to visit emergency departments and GP practices to experience the difficulties faced by the NHS first-hand.
He said politicians should visit emergency departments and GP practices to experience first-hand the difficulties faced by the NHS.
Frustration over disabled man's 48-hour A&E waitFrustration over disabled man's 48-hour A&E wait
Winter set to be worst for A&E, health leaders warnWinter set to be worst for A&E, health leaders warn
Flu rise warning from NHS in EnglandFlu rise warning from NHS in England
On Sunday, RCEM president Dr Adrian Boyle said between 300 and 500 people were dying every week as a result of delays to emergency care.On Sunday, RCEM president Dr Adrian Boyle said between 300 and 500 people were dying every week as a result of delays to emergency care.
The figures appear to be based on research published by the Emergency Medical Journal which calculated that every 82 patients whose hospital admission is delayed by more than six hours results in one death within 30 days.
He said a severe flu outbreak, which was made worse by a lack of immunity because of Covid isolation measures, has resulted in bed occupancy reaching record levels.He said a severe flu outbreak, which was made worse by a lack of immunity because of Covid isolation measures, has resulted in bed occupancy reaching record levels.
"What we're seeing now in terms of these long waits is being associated with increased mortality, and we think somewhere between 300-500 people are dying as a consequence of delays and problems with urgent and emergency care each week," he told Times Radio.
"We need to actually get a grip of this."
Those figures appear to be based on research published by the Emergency Medical Journal which calculated that every 82 patients whose hospital admission is delayed by more than six hours results in one death within 30 days.
But NHS England's Chris Hopson said care needed to be taken "jumping to conclusions about excess mortality rates and their cause without a really full and detailed look at the evidence".But NHS England's Chris Hopson said care needed to be taken "jumping to conclusions about excess mortality rates and their cause without a really full and detailed look at the evidence".
He said a study of the evidence was "under way", but until detailed work was conducted "it's really difficult to say".He said a study of the evidence was "under way", but until detailed work was conducted "it's really difficult to say".
In November, more than 37,000 people waited more than 12 hours in A&E for a decision to be admitted to a hospital department, according to data from NHS England. This was more than triple the equivalent figure for November 2021, when an estimated 10,646 waited longer than 12 hours.In November, more than 37,000 people waited more than 12 hours in A&E for a decision to be admitted to a hospital department, according to data from NHS England. This was more than triple the equivalent figure for November 2021, when an estimated 10,646 waited longer than 12 hours.
Mr Hopson said it was evident that the NHS was "under significant pressure at the moment" which he said could result in patients waiting longer for treatment.Mr Hopson said it was evident that the NHS was "under significant pressure at the moment" which he said could result in patients waiting longer for treatment.
Why are nurses and ambulance staff striking?Why are nurses and ambulance staff striking?
He told BBC Radio 5 Live he feels "deeply uncomfortable" about the level of care sometimes being provided at moments of pressure.He told BBC Radio 5 Live he feels "deeply uncomfortable" about the level of care sometimes being provided at moments of pressure.
Mr Hopson listed multiple factors that have contributed to pressures on NHS services including:Mr Hopson listed multiple factors that have contributed to pressures on NHS services including:
18% more people coming into A&E in the last six weeks compared to the same period last year18% more people coming into A&E in the last six weeks compared to the same period last year
Covid patients in England increasing to 9,500 compared to 4,500 a few weeks agoCovid patients in England increasing to 9,500 compared to 4,500 a few weeks ago
Some 3,750 flu sufferers in hospital beds compared to 520 one month agoSome 3,750 flu sufferers in hospital beds compared to 520 one month ago
Delayed discharges of medically fit patients, which currently stands at 12,000Delayed discharges of medically fit patients, which currently stands at 12,000
A growing population and a decline in living standardsA growing population and a decline in living standards
He said adding all these together left "25,000 of the 100,000 NHS beds" filled with either medically fit patients waiting to be discharged and people suffering with either Covid or the flu.He said adding all these together left "25,000 of the 100,000 NHS beds" filled with either medically fit patients waiting to be discharged and people suffering with either Covid or the flu.
Mr Hopson also said there were 9,500 NHS staff absent at the moment due to Covid.Mr Hopson also said there were 9,500 NHS staff absent at the moment due to Covid.
However, the chief strategy officer urged people in need of medical attention to "come forward", but reminded patients to "use the best route" of support.However, the chief strategy officer urged people in need of medical attention to "come forward", but reminded patients to "use the best route" of support.
The Liberal Democrats have called for an immediate recall of parliament and urged the government to pass an emergency health plan and declare a "national major incident".The Liberal Democrats have called for an immediate recall of parliament and urged the government to pass an emergency health plan and declare a "national major incident".
Education minister Robert Halfon said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was treating pressures on the NHS as a "top priority".Education minister Robert Halfon said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was treating pressures on the NHS as a "top priority".
The Conservative MP said "absolutely more needs to be done" but added that the government is "doing everything possible" to help.
"We're increasing NHS capacity by the equivalent of 7,000 beds, spending an extra £500m to speed up hospital discharges and improve capacity, and providing an extra £150m for the ambulance service," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme."We're increasing NHS capacity by the equivalent of 7,000 beds, spending an extra £500m to speed up hospital discharges and improve capacity, and providing an extra £150m for the ambulance service," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
'Emergency departments unbearable'
Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said the situation in emergency departments remains "unbearable".Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said the situation in emergency departments remains "unbearable".
"Unless we are able to retain and attract colleagues, and recruit new colleagues, then our situation will remain unbearable for a long time," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme."Unless we are able to retain and attract colleagues, and recruit new colleagues, then our situation will remain unbearable for a long time," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme.
He said an urgent workforce plan is needed and called for "firmer words and actions" to ensure the NHS is improved.
Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers - which represent trusts in England - said on Sunday that the pressure on the NHS was "equivalent" to that of the early stage of the coronavirus pandemic.
She said the causes were coming from "various directions" including a backlog of operations, a worn-out workforce, staff shortages, lack of investment and continued Covid and flu cases.
Ms Cordery told PA news agency there were up to 133,000 staff vacancies across the NHS at the time.
There have been repeated warnings about the staffing crisis facing the health service, which last year was described as the worst workforce crisis in NHS history.There have been repeated warnings about the staffing crisis facing the health service, which last year was described as the worst workforce crisis in NHS history.
Michael Woodcock from Harrogate had to go to A&E in Scarborough last week after experiencing severe abdominal pain.Michael Woodcock from Harrogate had to go to A&E in Scarborough last week after experiencing severe abdominal pain.
"I sat from 6pm until the early hours of the morning when I was told I needed to stay so they could remove my appendix urgently at the start of the day," he told the BBC."I sat from 6pm until the early hours of the morning when I was told I needed to stay so they could remove my appendix urgently at the start of the day," he told the BBC.
"However there were no beds, so I was given hospital blankets," and said he decided to sleep in his car until his operation the next day."However there were no beds, so I was given hospital blankets," and said he decided to sleep in his car until his operation the next day.
He said the hospital corridor was lined with people on trolleys and one elderly man had been waiting in his wheelchair for 11 hours.He said the hospital corridor was lined with people on trolleys and one elderly man had been waiting in his wheelchair for 11 hours.
Andrew Macfarlane's 90-year-old mother has been waiting more than 30 hours for an ambulance after she slipped and fell on New Year's Eve. 'Waiting over 30 hours for ambulance'
Andrew Macfarlane's 90-year-old mother has been waiting more than 30 hours for an ambulance after she fell on New Year's Eve and hurt her hip.
"She's in a lot of pain but she's not on death's door, so I think there is a priority listing whereby she's down the priority list," he told the BBC."She's in a lot of pain but she's not on death's door, so I think there is a priority listing whereby she's down the priority list," he told the BBC.
His closest hospital in Torbay, Devon, is a 10 minute drive away but he was told not to move his mother in case it caused her further injury. His closest hospital in Torbay, Devon, is a 10-minute drive away but he was told not to move his mother in case it caused her further injury.
A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) said: "We sincerely apologise for the delay this patient has experienced. A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) said: "We sincerely apologise for the delay this patient has experienced."
"Our ambulance clinicians strive every day to deliver their best care for patients, but our performance has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, partly due to handover delays at emergency departments. They said handover delays at emergency departments were affecting their performance.
"Health and social care services are under enormous pressure. We are working with our partners in the NHS and social care, to do all we can to improve the service that patients receive."
Meanwhile, separately nurses and paramedics went on strike in December and the British Medical Association has said it will ballot junior doctors this month. Nurses will again strike in England on 18 and 19 January and ambulance staff in parts of England on 11 and 23 January.Meanwhile, separately nurses and paramedics went on strike in December and the British Medical Association has said it will ballot junior doctors this month. Nurses will again strike in England on 18 and 19 January and ambulance staff in parts of England on 11 and 23 January.
The government says it recognises the pressures being faced, and said it was providing £14.1bn in additional funding for health and social care over the next two years, as well as an extra £500m to try to speed up hospital discharges.The government says it recognises the pressures being faced, and said it was providing £14.1bn in additional funding for health and social care over the next two years, as well as an extra £500m to try to speed up hospital discharges.
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