This standard operating procedure sets out:

• a consistent national approach for England by which providers of the services covered by this document can escalate capacity pressures to their commissioners in NHS England
• how the services covered by this document and the stakeholders should act
• the process for the identification of current and potential capacity for the services covered by this document
• the anticipated escalation process nationally across the NHS in England, in support of the services covered by this document (including the NHS Strategic Command arrangements to be implemented by NHS England should they be required)
• the approach to supporting NHS England emergency preparedness, resilience and response planning in relation to any incident, event or outbreak of disease that may result in the need for adult critical care transfer
• the NHS England reporting and governance structures in place for the service with specific reference to the Covid-19 pandemic response.