The NHS is upgrading its 24-hour live data centres to manage demand, strengthening same day emergency care and offering more falls services for older people, as part of actions set out today to prepare for this winter. NHS chiefs have warned urgent and emergency care services are likely to come under “significant pressure” and many […]

The NHS has started vaccinating people against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), for the first time in its history. RSV, a leading cause of infant mortality around the world, is a common cause of coughs and colds but can lead to severe lung infections like pneumonia and infant bronchiolitis, which are highly dangerous to older people and young children. […]

Millions of children and adults across England will be offered their flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccinations as the NHS sets out plans for protection ahead of winter. The vaccines provide vital protection to keep people from developing serious illnesses and ending up in hospital during busy winter months. This year, based on […]

Commenting on the final weekly sitrep for this winter, Professor Julian Redhead, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Urgent and Emergency Care, said: “Today’s figures highlight just how hard staff across the NHS have worked this winter in the face of significant demand and ongoing industrial action, with more than 1.7 million people taken to hospitals by […]

England’s top doctor has praised the hard work of staff as new data shows ambulance handover delays have improved despite increased demand, alongside continued pressure from winter viruses and industrial action. The weekly winter figures, published today, show that the hours lost to ambulance handover delays dropped to 18,799 in the week ending February 25, […]

The NHS is facing further strike disruption this week amid continued high demand for services, as its top doctor warns more than one in 10 days have been impacted by strike action in the past year. Strike action by junior doctors will run from 7am on Saturday (24 February) to midnight on Wednesday (28 February) […]

The NHS waiting list fell in December for the third month running, while winter pressure continued to hit the health service hard with A&E and ambulance services experiencing their busiest ever January. England’s top doctor hailed the hard work and dedication of staff as new figures show the number of patients waiting for elective treatment […]

The NHS’s top emergency doctor has warned the health service is still in the thick of winter, with norovirus and flu cases at their highest levels this winter and up three-quarters on the same week last year. The latest weekly winter data shows an average of 688 patients were in hospital each day last week […]

The head of the NHS has praised the hard work of staff for rolling out 5,000 additional permanent, staffed beds this winter – during a period of industrial action and significant pressure. New figures published today show last week, hospitals across the country had an average of 99,750 core beds in place each day – […]

Thousands of people were in hospital with seasonal viruses last week – including rising numbers with norovirus – as NHS staff continue to deal with a range of winter pressures. The latest weekly update shows there were an average of 452 patients with diarrhoea and vomiting symptoms in hospital each day – up by a […]