Latest figures offer 'stark reminder' of pressures the NHS continues to face

Responding to the latest weekly NHS winter situation report , Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said: 

“As all remaining Covid restrictions including the legal requirement to self-isolate have now been removed in England, these figures offer a stark reminder of the pressure the NHS continues to face.

“112,000 patients have been admitted to hospital with Covid since the end of November alone and current all-cause bed occupancy is running extremely high at nearly 94%.

“Delays in patients being handed over to hospital when arriving by ambulance are particularly concerning with over 7,000 patients waiting more than an hour in an ambulance on arrival at hospital last week.

“The latest appointments in general practice data, also shows how hard primary care is working with 3 million more patients seen in January compared to the same month last year and over 60 per cent of those patients seen face to face.

“The NHS continues to do all it can to ramp services back up to pre-pandemic levels but with around 60,000 staff off sick per day last week, it is still very stretched.

“As the Government encourages us to learn to live with Covid, health leaders are approaching the next few months with real trepidation. At the very least we would urge that ministers think again and commit to providing continued access to Covid tests for all NHS workers in patient-facing roles.”