• UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
NewsExplored
  • UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • LinkedIn

  • Tumblr

  • RSS

UK

Covid: How busy are hospitals in England?

Covid: How busy are hospitals in England?
Newsexplored
7th January 2021
ShareTweet
SubscribeRedditGoogleWhatsappStumbleuponPinterestDiggLinkedinTumblrTelegram
Views:
1

By Ben Butcher
BBC Reality Check

Ambulance arriving at Guy's Hospital, London

image copyrightGetty Images

When announcing the national lockdown, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the NHS risked being overwhelmed if the measures weren’t taken.

But statistics suggest that the proportion of beds currently occupied by patients is actually lower than usual.

So how can both things be true?

What is different this year?

Winter is normally an incredibly busy time for the NHS, coinciding with the peak of the flu season.

This is why we often see new stories at this time of year about patients facing long waits for care and ambulances struggling to get patients into emergency departments.

But this year, the system is facing the added pressure of preventing coronavirus spreading between patients while anticipating surges in cases.

The changes this year include:

data-ad-format="auto">
  • Less space for beds due to the need for larger gaps between them
  • The division of wards into three zones: those for people with coronavirus, those awaiting test results and those who have tested negative
  • Increased infection control – including cleaning and putting on personal protective equipment (PPE) – which takes up staff time
  • Increased critical care beds and patients, which require more intensive staffing

Combined, these factors mean that hospitals have less capacity than usual, meaning fewer beds are available for fewer patients.

In total, NHS hospitals in England have about 7,000 fewer available beds than usual.

What does the data show?

The data shows that hospitals were at about 87% occupancy in December and early January, however this figure increases to just over 90% in London and the South East.


This means that for every 10 hospital beds available across England, roughly nine had a patient in them on any given day.

This occupancy rate is actually noticeably lower than a usual year. In a normal winter, occupancy tends to average between 93% and 95%.

But NHS England warns against using direct comparisons because – as mentioned – you wouldn’t exactly be comparing like for like in the way the hospitals are being run.

Effectively, bed occupancy shows how many beds are available should patients need them, but what it doesn’t paint a picture of is how much work is needed to tend to these beds.

And this year, with increased infection control and the movement of staff to intensive areas, that workload has increased.

Even in early December, NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said that already the pressures felt as bad as a normal year despite fewer patients and lower bed occupancy.

  • Does the NHS really need protecting?

  • NHS pressure ‘at a really dangerous point’

How much extra room is there?

In theory, there are 12,000 free beds in NHS hospitals in England.

But no hospital ever aims to be close to 100% occupancy.

Guidance actually recommends that an optimum level is about 85% occupancy. This is to reduce the risk of staff becoming overstretched or being unable to deal with any unexpected surges of patients for whatever reason.

The coronavirus has meant that hospital bosses have felt the need to ensure even more wiggle room than usual, because the virus tends to spread quickly.

The number of patients in hospital in England with the virus has increased by 8,000 since the start of December, hitting 22,534 on 1 January 1, a record high.

And once the virus is prevalent in a community, it affects hospital staffing as some of them need take off time due to sickness or self-isolation. During the first wave in April, 6.7% of staff were absent from work, compared with 4% in the previous year.

So while hospitals are feeling these increased winter pressures, they need to ensure that they still have that wiggle room.

Outside the NHS, the government can work with private hospitals and also look towards the Nightingale hospitals, but this also might be affected by staffing pressures.

Why are operations being cancelled?

To create that wiggle room, there has been a big decrease in patients coming in for non-urgent operations and outpatient appointments, to ensure that space is there and pressures are not increased.

Even in September 2020, when hospitals were beginning to increase the number of operations carried out, these were still 25% lower than in previous years.

This also helps explain why there are also fewer patients in hospitals this year, as well as fewer beds.

The impact of this is a large backlog and the potential for certain treatments – such as cancer care – being delayed.

What do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? Get in touch

Read more from Reality Check

Follow us on Twitter

Related Topics

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Itemscovidenglandhospitals
UK
7th January 2021
Newsexplored @newsexploredweb

Related Itemscovidenglandhospitals

More in UK

  • Read More
    Scotland’s papers: Restrictions ‘for months’ and Trump’s exit

    Views:1 Daily Record The Herald The Scotsman The Scottish Sun The National The Times Daily Mail Daily...

    Newsexplored 7th January 2021
  • Read More
    Newspaper headlines: ‘It’s the back of Trump’ and ‘vaccine pivot’

    Views:1 By BBC NewsStaff image captionAll of Wednesday’s front pages carry a mention of Joe Biden’s inauguration...

    Newsexplored 7th January 2021
  • Read More
    Storm Christoph: Flood warnings in parts of England

    Views:1 image captionIn Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, residents have prepared their homes and businesses ahead of the...

    Newsexplored 7th January 2021
  • Read More
    Newspaper headlines: Jab complacency fears and smart motorway inquest

    Views:1 By BBC NewsStaff image captionThe Daily Telegraph says government scientific advisers are concerned millions of people...

    Newsexplored 7th January 2021
  • Read More
    Manchester Arena Inquiry: Help given to Saffie-Rose Roussos to be examined

    Views:1 image copyrightFamily handouts image captionTop row (left to right): Alison Howe, Martyn Hett, Lisa Lees, Courtney...

    Newsexplored 7th January 2021
  • Read More
    England: Phil Neville leaves Lionesses manager role

    Views:1 Phil Neville has left his role as manager of England’s women and is set to take...

    Newsexplored 7th January 2021
  • Read More
    Scotland’s papers: Army leads vaccine rollout and ‘patchy supplies’

    Views:1 Daily Record The Herald The Scotsman The Scottish Sun The National The Times Daily Mail Daily...

    Newsexplored 7th January 2021
  • Read More
    Sri Lanka v England: Tourists win first Test by seven wickets

    Views:1 Dan Lawrence scored 94 runs and Jonny Bairstow 82 in the match First Test, Galle (day...

    Newsexplored 7th January 2021
  • Read More
    Brexit: ‘Putting UK, not GB, delayed my fish for 24 hours’

    Views:1 By Lucy HookerBusiness reporter, BBC News Published duration4 hours ago Share Share page linkCopy link About...

    Newsexplored 7th January 2021
  • Read More
    The Papers: ‘Hope in the post’ as ‘5 million more offered jab’

    Views:1 By BBC NewsStaff image captionCovid vaccination progress leads Monday’s front pages, as over-70s and clinically extremely...

    Newsexplored 7th January 2021
  • Read More
    Sutton Hoo: The Anglo Saxon treasures that inspired The Dig starring Ralph Fiennes

    Views:1 image copyrightNetflix image captionCarey Mulligan as Sutton Hoo landowner Edith Pretty with Ralph Fiennes as archaeologist...

    Newsexplored 7th January 2021
  • Read More
    The Papers: ‘Quarantine hotels’ and jab for over-18s ‘by June’

    Views:1 By BBC NewsStaff image captionSunday’s front pages include details of the government’s plans for Covid vaccinations...

    Newsexplored 7th January 2021
Scroll for more
Tap
data-ad-format="auto">
NewsExplored

NewsExplored - Making sure all the latest news is explored?

Contact us for help

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • Comments

  • Trump pardons two convicted by Russia investigation
    USA23rd December 2020
  • Kieran Trippier suspended for 10 weeks over breaches of betting rules
    Sports23rd December 2020
  • The Papers: UK and EU on ‘verge’ of Brexit trade deal
    UK23rd December 2020
  • Former BBC sports reporter Kevin Gearey dies
    Entertainment23rd December 2020
  • Biden inauguration: Democrat to be sworn in as Trump leaves office
    USA20th January 2021
  • Biden inauguration rehearsal paused amid US Capitol lockdown
    USA18th January 2021
  • Migrant caravan: Guatemala blocks thousands bound for US
    USA18th January 2021
  • Trump impeachment: When will he go on trial in the Senate?
    USA16th January 2021
  • Les Rehrer says:

    Hello Its me :P and thanks for this post

  • optumrx login says:

    Thank For News.

  • Kent Laatsch says:

    Please let me know if you're looking for a writer…

  • Bob says:

    RT News was where I learned that Erdogan controlled isis.…

Copyright © 2018 Top News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress.

Newspaper headlines: ‘Anarchy in the USA’ and ‘the clap’s back’
Newspaper headlines: ‘Trump must go’ and ‘Boris battle plan for jabs’
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok