25 percent more beds being blocked this winter compared to last year, NHS England warns

NHS England is cautioning that thousands of beds are being blocked by patients that are medically fit to be discharged due to a “perfect storm” of winter pressures.

According to the health service’s latest weekly figures, the number of beds taken up by patients fit to be discharged is more than a quarter higher than at the start of December last year.

For the week commencing 21 November 2022, over 13,000 beds were filled nearly every day by patients who did not meet the criteria to reside in hospital – on average 13,364 up from 13,179 over the previous seven days – and more than a quarter higher than the most recent comparable data from last year.

The figures also reveal a 40 percent spike in the number of patients in hospital with flu compared to the previous week, with an average of 482 flu cases in hospital each day for the same week. Additionally, adult norovirus cases have increased during the week 21 November 2022, up from 126 beds being taken up each day to 157 beds, equating to a 25 percent jump.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said: “These new figures show the NHS is facing a perfect storm with winter virus cases rapidly increasing alongside ongoing pressures in emergency care, hugely constrained bed capacity, while hospitals continue to contend with more patients coming in than going out, with thousands of patients every day in hospital who are medically fit for discharge.

“We have already said we expect this to be the NHS’s most challenging winter yet, which is why we started preparing earlier than ever before with extensive plans in place to deal with winter boosting bed capacity, including more than 40 control centres to track and manage demand 24/7, which are now live across England.”

To help combat these incredibly challenging winter pressures, the NHS is delivering on ambitions set out in its winter plan back in October.

NHS England has revealed that over 40 healthcare “traffic control centres” are now live, with each of the 42 integrated care systems (ICSs) in England having a dedicated 24/7 operation where teams, including senior clinicians, can use data and local insights to make considered decisions in the face of ongoing pressures.

The centres use data to respond to emerging challenges and can divert ambulances to another nearby hospital with more capacity or identify hospitals that need extra support.

Control centre staff are now able to monitor a range of data including A&E performance and waiting times, staffing levels, ambulance response times, and bed occupancy, and can work with partners across the ICS to stay across capacity in social care and primary care demand.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “It’s absolutely vital we use the latest, cutting-edge technology and data to ensure the NHS is performing as efficiently and effectively as possible – providing the very best care to patients and easing the burden on hard-working staff.

“These control centres will help ensure patients get access to care and treatment as quickly as possible over the challenging months ahead, with experts analysing live data and sharing NHS resources to focus emergency support where it is needed most.”

NHS England’s winter plan also included the rollout of a national falls response team service, new hubs dedicated to serious respiratory infections, and additional bed capacity.