As the latest monthly NHS performance statistics show that 38,000 patients are stuck in A&E for over 12 hours and one in seven ambulances face delays of over 60 minutes, The King’s Fund’s Danielle Jefferies says that the health service is facing its most difficult pressures according to modern records.
“The latest figures show an NHS bursting at the seams as services head into winter struggling to meet sharply rising demand while keeping patients safe,” Jefferies said.
“Improving ambulance delays has been a government priority for some time, but these numbers show that one in seven ambulances are delayed by more than an hour as they wait for stretched A&E teams to assess patients. Even after a patient’s condition has been deemed serious enough to warrant admission, 38,000 patients are stuck in A&E for over 12 hours because hospitals are too full to admit them.”
Jefferies went on to point out that problems with ambulance response and A&E admittance were indicative of other issues, such as high volumes of bed-blocking by patients medically fit to be discharged but unable to leave hospital because of service shortages in social care.
“Problems at the hospital front door are indicative of issues at the back door,” Jefferies explained.
“The number of patients stuck in hospital despite being well enough for discharge remains alarmingly high at 13,300, 30 per cent higher than this time last year. People are being stranded in hospital because of a long-term lack of investment in social care and NHS community services.
“It is easy to become numb to dire NHS performance figures, but the health service really is facing the toughest pressures since modern records began.”
Jefferies raised the issue that the pressures on the health service were likely to be exacerbated by impending industrial action, with nurses set to strike in December. This, combined with typical winter pressures, has created a perfect storm.
“Industrial action is imminent, more than 50,000 NHS staff are off due to illness, cold weather is biting, and Covid-19, Strep A and other winter viruses will likely increase demand for services.
“All combined, this puts immense strain on staff in health and care services who are having to go above and beyond to support patients. Sadly, there are no immediate solutions or quick fixes; these are widespread issues that will require actions across the whole health and care system, and it will take time for any improvements to be felt by patients.”
Photo by Krzysztof Hepner on Unsplash
