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| Gridlock as record number of ambulances queue at A&E | Gridlock as record number of ambulances queue at A&E |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The extent of the gridlock in hospitals over Christmas has been revealed with new NHS data showing a record number of ambulances were delayed dropping off patients at A&E in England. | The extent of the gridlock in hospitals over Christmas has been revealed with new NHS data showing a record number of ambulances were delayed dropping off patients at A&E in England. |
| More than 40% of crews were forced to wait more than half-an-hour to hand over their patients to hospital staff in the week up to New Year's Day. | More than 40% of crews were forced to wait more than half-an-hour to hand over their patients to hospital staff in the week up to New Year's Day. |
| That is the highest on record. | That is the highest on record. |
| But there is hope pressures could soon start easing, with flu and Covid admissions dropping last week. | But there is hope pressures could soon start easing, with flu and Covid admissions dropping last week. |
| Covid putting massive pressure on NHS - Barclay | |
| 5 Questions On: Pressure on the NHS | |
| Pressure on the NHS is unsustainable, medics warn | |
| Both had been rising sharply in previous weeks, with one in seven beds occupied by patients with these infections by the start of the year. | Both had been rising sharply in previous weeks, with one in seven beds occupied by patients with these infections by the start of the year. |
| The rate of flu admissions fell the most, dropping by more than 40%. | The rate of flu admissions fell the most, dropping by more than 40%. |
| But the UK Health Security Agency is warning it is too early to say whether the flu season - the worst in a decade - has peaked as reporting lags over the festive period may have had an impact on the data. | But the UK Health Security Agency is warning it is too early to say whether the flu season - the worst in a decade - has peaked as reporting lags over the festive period may have had an impact on the data. |
| The high levels of flu coupled with rising rates of Covid are thought to be one of the factors in the high number of deaths being reported. | The high levels of flu coupled with rising rates of Covid are thought to be one of the factors in the high number of deaths being reported. |
| In the lead up to Christmas, deaths were a quarter higher than normal, data from the Office for National Statistics shows. | |
| 'I'm 26 and ended up in hospital with flu' | |
| By Christmas Day, Olly Browning was exhausted, sweaty and breathless. The following day he was admitted to hospital and sent to intensive care where he spent three days getting round-the-clock care. He is 26. | |
| "It turns out I'd caught flu B - a rarer type of influenza. I knew I'd been unwell long before going to hospital. | |
| "Maybe naively, I thought I could handle as a healthy 26 year old - I figured I just needed to wait it out another week or so. But I got worse before I got better." | |
| He was eventually discharged on 2 January and is now recovering at home. | |
| "I can't lie, it has been a terrifying experience. I cried a lot, about everything." | |
| The past week has seen a number of hospitals declare critical incidents and start to cancel routine operations. | |
| Reports have emerged of patients spending days on trolleys because of severe shortage of beds in some hospitals. | |
| NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: "We knew this winter would be one of the most difficult in the history of the NHS and I want to thank staff for all their hard work in caring for and treating so many patients while dealing with record demand on services, including the enormous pressure from flu and Covid." | NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: "We knew this winter would be one of the most difficult in the history of the NHS and I want to thank staff for all their hard work in caring for and treating so many patients while dealing with record demand on services, including the enormous pressure from flu and Covid." |