The NHS is not out of the woods yet despite some improvements in the latest winter figures, health chiefs have warned.
Newly published NHS England (NHSE) data shows that the number of hours lost to ambulance handover delays has seen a substantial reduction, down 43% in the last week from 28,872 to 16,554.
This is as the number of ambulances arriving at hospitals is also up compared to this time last year – 90,294 to 72,009.
NHSE says the improvements are down to robust winter plans and the impact of the emergency care recovery plan.
The average number of patients in hospital with flu each day last week was down on the previous week – 1,416 which is an 8.5% drop from 1548.
Around 49,039 NHS staff were off sick last week; this is down 2.7% from the previous week which was 50,402 on average.
Last week saw the average number of beds occupied in hospitals each day with Covid-19 decrease from 4,245 to 3,949 as well.
“Our members are under no illusions that there is a long way to go to drive performance up to where we all want it to be” – Rory Deighton.
Approximately 13,637 people each day last week were occupying a hospital bed despite not meeting the criteria to stay. This is up 9% from 12,459 the previous week and the highest this winter, although it is still lower than this time last year when the figure was closer to 14,036.
Meanwhile, the average number of adults in hospital with norovirus every day last week increased by 6.8% from 423 to 452.
Rory Deighton, director of the NHS Confederation’s acute network, said: “While it is welcome that performance has not fallen to the levels seen last year, which was the worst on record, no one can deny how challenging this winter has been.”
He continued: “It is testament to the incredible planning and concerted focus on emergency services that the health service did not buckle in the face of some of the toughest weeks it has ever faced due to the combination of winter pressures and industrial action.
“The slight drop in flu and staff absence levels and improvement in ambulance handover delays are welcome but it is too early to say the NHS is over the hill. Bed occupancy is also still much too high – well above the safety threshold of 85% – while thousands of patients were stuck in hospital beds when they were well enough to leave.”
Around 19 in every 20 adults beds were occupied, according to NHSE.
NHS Providers’ chief executive, Sir Julian Hartley, added: "Winter pressures on the NHS show no sign of easing with a major spike in the number of ambulances arriving at hospitals this week underlining just how high demand is on the service right now.
"Despite this increase at the NHS's front door, the fall in ambulance handover delays this week is a positive development.”
"Hard-won progress in cutting handover delays is testament to the efforts of hospital and ambulance crews as they work together to get more ambulances back on the road to help the sickest patients.”
Hartley concluded: "However, the severe cold snap and winter bugs, including norovirus and Covid-19, continue to take their toll, piling the pressure on hospital beds and services across the NHS.
"Ongoing issues with delayed discharges and worrying levels of staff absences are making a tough situation tougher as trusts strive to get services back on track in the aftermath of the longest ever strike by junior doctors.”
Image credit: iStock
