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| Covid and flu putting massive pressure on NHS - health secretary | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Health secretary Steve Barclay says flu and Covid have put "massive pressure" on the NHS and warned that reducing backlogs caused by the pandemic would "take time." | |
| Speaking amid mounting concern over hospital delays, he said the government was working on freeing up beds. | |
| He said this would relieve pressure in A&Es and on ambulance services. | He said this would relieve pressure in A&Es and on ambulance services. |
| But the pandemic had led to more people waiting for care and worsened the health of the most vulnerable. | |
| Mr Barclay said people with conditions like heart disease had been reluctant to come forward for support at times during the pandemic - and this was a major factor in the demands now being seen. | |
| He acknowledged the NHS was facing huge challenges, but said the government was providing extra funding to help. | He acknowledged the NHS was facing huge challenges, but said the government was providing extra funding to help. |
| This includes a £500m winter fund that has been set up to help hospitals discharge patients who are medically fit to leave but cannot because of a lack of support available in the community. | This includes a £500m winter fund that has been set up to help hospitals discharge patients who are medically fit to leave but cannot because of a lack of support available in the community. |
| And he added: "We are so focussed on getting people out of hospital who do not need to be there." | And he added: "We are so focussed on getting people out of hospital who do not need to be there." |
| In recent days, a number of hospitals have declared critical incidents, suggesting they cannot function as usual because of extraordinary pressure. | In recent days, a number of hospitals have declared critical incidents, suggesting they cannot function as usual because of extraordinary pressure. |
| Senior doctors have described the NHS as on a knife edge, with some accident and emergency units in a "complete state of crisis". | Senior doctors have described the NHS as on a knife edge, with some accident and emergency units in a "complete state of crisis". |
| It comes as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reiterated the importance of people wearing masks if they are ill and need to go out. | It comes as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reiterated the importance of people wearing masks if they are ill and need to go out. |
| The UKHSA has also asked parents to keep children off school if they have a fever. | The UKHSA has also asked parents to keep children off school if they have a fever. |
| There have been sharp rises in the numbers of people in hospital with Covid and flu in recent weeks - about one in eight beds in England is now occupied by patients with these infections. | There have been sharp rises in the numbers of people in hospital with Covid and flu in recent weeks - about one in eight beds in England is now occupied by patients with these infections. |
| Winter set to be worst for A&E, health leaders warn | Winter set to be worst for A&E, health leaders warn |
| Pressure on the NHS is unsustainable, medics warn | Pressure on the NHS is unsustainable, medics warn |
| 'I had to sleep in my car while waiting for an emergency op' | 'I had to sleep in my car while waiting for an emergency op' |
| Having gone to A&E with stomach pain, Michael Woodcock, from Harrogate, was told he needed an emergency operation because his appendix was at risk of bursting. | Having gone to A&E with stomach pain, Michael Woodcock, from Harrogate, was told he needed an emergency operation because his appendix was at risk of bursting. |
| It was late at night and he was booked in for surgery the following day. | It was late at night and he was booked in for surgery the following day. |
| But with no beds available, asked nurses whether he could sleep in his car rather than a waiting-room chair. | But with no beds available, asked nurses whether he could sleep in his car rather than a waiting-room chair. |
| "I ended up getting some blankets from the nurses and sleeping in the car for a few hours and then heading back into the hospital in the morning for the operation," Mr Woodcock said. | "I ended up getting some blankets from the nurses and sleeping in the car for a few hours and then heading back into the hospital in the morning for the operation," Mr Woodcock said. |
| Labour criticised the government's management of the health service, while the Liberal Democrats called for Parliament to be recalled early. | Labour criticised the government's management of the health service, while the Liberal Democrats called for Parliament to be recalled early. |
| MPs are due back at Westminster next Monday, following their Christmas break. | MPs are due back at Westminster next Monday, following their Christmas break. |
| Prof Phil Banfield, who chairs the British Medical Association, which represents doctors, called on the government to "step up and take immediate action". | Prof Phil Banfield, who chairs the British Medical Association, which represents doctors, called on the government to "step up and take immediate action". |
| The situation was "intolerable and unsustainable", he said, with the NHS's survival on a knife edge and patients needlessly dying because of a political choice. | The situation was "intolerable and unsustainable", he said, with the NHS's survival on a knife edge and patients needlessly dying because of a political choice. |
| Richard Webber, of the College of Paramedics, said the current situation was the worst in his 30-year career. | Richard Webber, of the College of Paramedics, said the current situation was the worst in his 30-year career. |
| Delays were causing patients "significant harm", he said, with ambulance services now struggling to find available crews for cardiac arrests - the highest category of emergency call. | Delays were causing patients "significant harm", he said, with ambulance services now struggling to find available crews for cardiac arrests - the highest category of emergency call. |
| "I've never known anything like it," Mr Webber said. | "I've never known anything like it," Mr Webber said. |
| Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
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