NHS National Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis said: “We still had around 70,000 NHS staff off sick each day last week, as the number of ambulances taking patients to A&E was up again on the previous seven days, making it the busiest week since the start of December.

“Despite this, hardworking staff are doing everything possible to get people home to their loved ones and out of hospital safely, as hundreds more beds were freed up each day compared to the week before – all while delivering as many routine checks and procedures as possible, including vital diagnostic checks, as staff continue to make inroads delivering treatments disrupted by COVID.

“It remains as important as ever for people to get their lifesaving COVID vaccines if they haven’t done so already – and the NHS is here for you if you have a health problem, so please go to 111 online and call 999 when it is a life threatening condition”.

Background

• Pressure in hospitals remains high, with 93.4% of adult general and acute beds occupied last week, up on the previous seven day.
• There were 85,999 arrivals at A&E via ambulance in the week ending 30 January 2022 – up on the previous week and making it the busiest week since the start of December.
• More than 70,000 staff were absent due to sickness each day last week on average, up 11,868 a day compared to at the start of December.
• The number of patients who no longer meet the criteria to reside and were not discharged that day (average per day) has decreased – down 562 per day on average compared to the previous seven days.