Two-thirds of all NHS trusts across England were treating more coronavirus patients last week than they did at the peak of the first wave of the pandemic, a Guardian analysis reveals. Figures show that in 17 trusts the number of people suffering from coronavirus outnumbered all other patients. On the current trajectory, the number of people being treated for Covid in England’s hospitals could be double that of the April 2020 peak within weeks..
For thousands of people in this country, a corrective operation is the best way to relieve debilitating pain and get them back up on their feet, back to work and enjoying life again. When we eventually emerge from this crisis, we will need sustained investment to treat all those who have been waiting patiently for treatment.
Some 1.42 million patients on the list had been waiting for longer than the target of 18 weeks from referral to treatment.
Almost 223,000 were admitted for routine hospital treatment in November, down 27 per cent from 303,000 in the same month a year previously.
Dr Nick Scriven, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: This data shows exactly how dire things are with millions of people waiting to start hospital treatment and 330,000 people waiting more than six weeks for key diagnostic tests.
How busy is YOUR hospital? Interactive tool reveals trust-by-trust breakdown of Covid patients and ICU occupancy as data shows a FIFTH of NHS sites had NO free critical care beds last week
Some 27 of 140 acute NHS trusts have no space left for patients in critical care units, official figures show
Six were in the North East, which mostly dodged Tier 4, while five were in the South East and the Midlands
Separate data released today revealed NHS waiting lists for routine operations have surged to record levels
It comes amid sustained high admissions of Covid-19 patients to hospitals across the country
BBC News
By Philippa Roxby
image copyrightGetty Images
Since the end of the second lockdown in England, the numbers of people being admitted to hospital with Covid have been rising quickly on a daily basis.
Some healthcare staff say they are seeing younger patients, so what does the data show?
Are different age groups being affected now?
There are more people of all ages in hospital with Covid now than in the first wave last spring - that includes the young and old.
Infections have been highest in teenagers, students and people in their 20s and 30s in recent months. A small percentage of people from these age groups inevitably end up in hospital needing treatment.
| UPDATED: 15:28, Wed, Jan 13, 2021
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The Nightingale hospitals remain vacant despite hospitals across the country struggling to meet with growing demands on the health service. A third national lockdown was implemented on January 4 in a bid to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed as coronavirus cases rise, but many have been quick to note that the seven Nightingale Hospitals are not being used. But why is this the case?