NHS remains under considerable strain with rising numbers of patients with norovirus-like symptoms

Responding to the latest urgent and emergency care situation report published by NHS England, Rory Deighton, acute director at the NHS Confederation, said:

“These latest figures continue to show that the NHS is in a state of vulnerability, with nearly 200 more patients in hospital with norovirus-like symptoms and over 3,800 patients in hospital with flu. Despite the drop in those being admitted with flu in the last week, the numbers of people with the illness in hospital are still more than double what they were this time last year.  

“While the improvement in ambulance handover delays is welcome, delays in people being able to be discharged from hospital have gone up, including due to a lack of social and community care provision. When this happens, bottlenecks can occur with patients queuing up at the front doors of hospitals while others are unable to be discharged out the back doors of hospitals.

“NHS leaders and their teams have been kept with their noses pressed to the grindstone as they deliver vital care and support to patients deep into winter. But it’s clear as day that the NHS remains under considerable strain with the ripple effect of pressures from winter viruses still being felt across all parts of the system, including primary care.

“We are not over the hill yet and will need to keep an eye on how much pressure hospitals and other parts of the system are under, particularly with the weather warnings in some parts of the country this weekend.

“We urge the government to prioritise having better integrated care models, coordination between different healthcare services and investment in social care to improve patient flow. The upcoming ten-year plan and urgent and emergency care plan will need to address these issues.”