An interactive map highlights the NHS’s struggles as hospitals face severe winter pressures and rising flu cases across England
Liverpool: Doctors in England are sounding the alarm about a crisis in hospitals as winter flu cases surge. An interactive map shows which areas are struggling the most with A&E delays.
Many hospital trusts have declared critical incidents recently. They’re overwhelmed with flu patients and even asking people to come alone and limiting visitors.
Last month, nearly 45% of patients at major A&E departments waited over four hours. One guy in Liverpool had to wait three days just to see a consultant. Can you believe that?
That four-hour wait figure is up from November, but it’s still lower than last December’s peak. Hull is particularly bad, with over 64% of A&E patients waiting that long. Other trusts like Worcestershire and North Tees are also struggling.
It’s not just a few hours either. Tens of thousands of people faced waits of over 12 hours for a bed. December saw over 54,000 people waiting that long, which is the third highest ever recorded.
University Hospitals Birmingham had the most patients waiting over 12 hours, but North Middlesex had the highest percentage. Last month was one of the busiest Decembers for the NHS, with 2.35 million people visiting A&E in England.
Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State, expressed shame over patients being treated in corridors. He mentioned that winter pressures shouldn’t lead to a crisis every year and that the government is investing in the NHS to improve things.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is working on plans to cut waiting lists. They’ve actually dropped for three months in a row, with 7.47 million people now waiting for treatment.
Also, the number of people waiting over a year has decreased significantly. Just 3% of those on the waiting list have been waiting that long, down from a peak of nearly 9% in March 2021.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis from the NHS urged everyone to use A&E only for emergencies and to consider other options like NHS 111 for non-urgent issues.
Wes Streeting added that they’ve ended junior doctors’ strikes, so staff are available this winter. However, despite their efforts, care standards are still not where they should be.
This winter’s flu strain has hit hard, with three times as many patients in hospitals compared to last year. It’s a tough time for everyone involved.
