Approximately half of accident and emergency units surveyed by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) reported they are “overwhelmed” this Christmas season.
The vice-president of the RCEM, Dr. Ian Higginson, informed Sky News’ Gareth Barlow on Christmas Eve that the current circumstances for the NHS within the UK are “rather bleak” at present.
The organization, which represents emergency physicians, reached out to senior management on Friday evening. Dr. Higginson disclosed that half responded and “all but two indicated that the emergency departments were completely overwhelmed”.
“Typically, just prior to Christmas, we would anticipate a slight decrease in activity. Unfortunately, the situation for both our patients and staff is looking quite challenging,” he remarked.
Dr. Ian Higginson conveyed to Sky News that A&E departments are ‘completely overwhelmed’
The NHS has cautioned that hospitals are facing immense strain due to the winter flu outbreak and a so-called “quad-demic,” which merges respiratory illnesses with norovirus.
Discussing the difficulties confronting the NHS, Dr. Higginson stated: “We simply do not possess sufficient beds in our hospitals for patients admitted in emergencies.”
“We lack enough personnel to manage those beds, and we have no buffer at all. Therefore, when an occurrence like flu strikes as it has, it exacerbates an already dire situation.”
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Hospitals are being inundated by winter flu cases
England ‘approximately 10,000 beds deficient’
Dr. Higginson further stated that he believes the solution lies in “strategic interventions and tactical investments”.
He mentioned: “In England alone, we estimate there are about 10,000 beds lacking in our hospitals to manage predictable, urgent, and emergency care… which is akin to about two wards in each hospital.”
Recently, the RCEM also criticized the “irrational” guidelines on treating patients in corridors – labeling it as “outdated” and “normalizing the perilous”.
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Dr. Higginson commented that the recent challenges have led to “patients lining our corridors because we are unable to admit them to the hospital when they require care”.
He continued: “It is possible that ambulances are parked outside while patients cannot enter our emergency departments.”
Additionally, he contended that the social care sector is “in a notably precarious situation currently” – requiring investment to prevent elderly patients from lingering in hospitals longer than necessary.
“When they are prepared to discharge from the hospital, they end up stranded in the hospital, which further exacerbates the bed shortage,” he explained.
Since its election success in July, the Labour government acknowledged the necessity for investment in the NHS, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer .
In October, Chancellor Rachel Reeves declared a £22.6bn rise in recurrent NHS funding during her budget address.
Reflecting on the increasing demands faced by the NHS, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting stated: “We have inherited an NHS that is broken but not defeated, and staff are already striving to manage rising admissions this winter.”
“For far too long, an annual winter crisis has become habitual. We will implement long-term reforms via our 10-year health strategy aimed at establishing a health service available to all year-round,” he concluded.
