Urgent and emergency care

England’s top doctor urges patients to access emergency care despite biggest strikes in NHS history next week

The NHS is asking patients to seek urgent care if they need it during industrial action next week and continue to attend appointments as planned unless contacted to rearrange. England’s top doctor has warned next week’s action could be the most disruptive yet as the NHS faces the biggest round of industrial action in its […]

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Major plan to recover urgent and emergency care services

The NHS and the government will publish a new blueprint today to help recover urgent and emergency care services, reduce waiting times, and improve patient experience. Frontline capacity will be boosted further thanks to 800 new ambulances, including 100 specialist mental health vehicles, and 5,000 more sustainable hospital beds backed by a £1 billion dedicated […]

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Handover delays fall despite increase in patients being taken to A&E by ambulance

Ambulance waits outside A&E reduced despite thousands more people being taken to hospital last week and continued pressures across the NHS, new figures show today. The weekly winter data, published today, shows ambulances transported 77,937 patients to A&Es across the country last week, up from 72,009 the week before. Despite the increase in patients, fewer […]

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NHS advice to patients ahead of ambulance strikes tomorrow

Commenting ahead of tomorrow’s ambulance strikes NHS Medical Director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: “As with other ambulance strikes the message to patients remains that it is vital to come forward and seek emergency care if needed. “This includes calling 999 for life threatening emergencies as well as using 111 online for other health needs […]

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Patients encourage public to get flu jabs as hospital cases soar

NHS patients from around England have joined health chiefs in pleading with the public to get their flu vaccines after being hospitalised with the virus. It comes as the latest data shows there were 5,500 patients in hospital with flu last week and more than 9,000 patients with COVID. A woman from Buckinghamshire has said […]

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NHS surgeons safety plea after surge in kids swallowing dangerous objects

Leading NHS children’s doctors are encouraging parents to be alert to the dangers of small toys this Christmas after surgeons have had to perform life-saving operations to remove button batteries, magnetic balls and Christmas cracker toys, in previous years. The number of children being admitted to hospital after ingesting small objects has doubled over the […]

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Two thirds increase in hospital flu cases amid rising staff absences and pressure on NHS 111

The number of patients with flu in hospital has increased by two thirds in one week amid significant pressure on services, the NHS said today. New published data shows the post-pandemic impact of viruses circulating again with an average of 1,939 flu cases in England’s hospitals every day last week (up from 1,162). Weekly winter […]

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