Latest critical incidents highlight mounting pressure on NHS

Responding the latest ambulance and A&E critical incidents Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said: 

"With nearly 20,000 people in hospital with coronavirus in England these latest critical incidents highlight how once again the pressure on our health service is mounting.

“Ambulances, A&E departments and front-line providers of care across all parts of the NHS are weighed down by heavy demand.  Healthcare leaders and their exhausted teams are doing their utmost to provide patients with the treatment they require, but with 110,000 vacancies across the NHS, they also need urgent support from Government to address severe workforce shortages.

“Healthcare leaders would urge the Government to have a realistic conversation with the public about the current situation in the health service.

“With one in thirteen people now Covid positive and cases still rising in older people, as we learn to ‘live with Covid’ there will be a direct knock-on effect on the NHS’s ability to tackle waiting lists.”