Daily hospital admissions in Britain could soon hit a new high because the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading so fast, piling pressure on a health service struggling with staff sickness, England's chief medical officer said on Thursday (December 16).
Britain recorded on Wednesday its highest number of daily coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic at 78,610.
Omicron is so transmissible that even if it proves to be milder than other variants, it could still cause a surge in hospital admissions, Chris Whitty told lawmakers.
The record for the number of people admitted to hospital with Covid-19 is 4,583 set in January.
"It is possible, because this is going to be very concentrated over a short period of time, even if it's milder, you could end up with a higher number than that going into hospital on a single day," he said.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, visited St Margaret's Hospital in Epping, West Essex, on Thursday (1 August) as part of an ongoing series
of planned engagements with NHS trusts across England.
Accompanied by NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard, Streeting observed how NHS staff are using innovative technology to monitor patients at home and prevent
unnecessary hospital admissions.
He met with staff from the hospital's Care Coordination Centre and the 'hospital at home' hub, which work to reduce unnecessary A&E admissions and facilitate
quick and safe discharges home.
Before the hospital tour, the health secretary met the trust's falls response team, which uses a specially equipped 'falls car' to assist patients who have
fallen at home, preventing A&E visits.
Later, Streeting visited the Ross Practice GP surgery in Harlow before holding a town hall event with health leaders in the region.
In a significant move aimed at improving patient care and alleviating hospital pressures, the National Health Services (NHS) has expanded its same day
emergency care services across the UK.
This has resulted in thousands more individuals receiving rapid tests and treatment, effectively avoiding overnight hospital stays.
Recent data paints a promising picture, revealing an 11 per cent increase in the number of patients discharged on the same day they were admitted as emergencies.
This advancement translates to several patients receiving urgent care within hours, subsequently freeing up beds for others in need.
Over the past year alone, an impressive 206,446 more patients have been discharged on the same day, amounting to 2,024,129 individuals in the year leading up to
January 2024, compared to 1,817,683 in the preceding year.
The successful rollout of same day emergency care to every hospital in England has played a pivotal role in easing bed congestion and reducing hospital admissions
by up to 30 per cent in certain NHS Trusts.
In the next 10 years, the incidence of first-time stroke cases in the UK is projected to increase by 60 per cent, costing the government £75bn in
healthcare and lost productivity, a charity has suggested.
A new manifesto published by the Stroke Association has urged the next UK government to make stroke "the priority", stressing that the next decade is crucial
for stroke prevention, treatment and recovery.
Currently, stroke is the UK's fourth biggest killer and a leading cause of disability. On a daily basis, 281 individuals experience a stroke. Next year, the cost
of stroke in the UK will be £43 billion.
The charity predicted that by 2035, there will be 151,000 hospital admissions due to stroke every year, averaging 414 admissions per day, with 42,000 people
estimated to die every year.
In 2035, the UK is projected to have 2.1 million stroke survivors, imposing a financial burden of £75 billion on the public purse, nearly half the current NHS budget.
England is set to reopen temporary field hospitals to contain a possible overspill of inpatients due to a surge in coronavirus cases, the national health service said Thursday.
Fuelled by the highly contagious Omicron variant, daily cases have ballooned, standing at more than 183,000 on Wednesday.
NHS England said it would start building the structures in the grounds of eight hospitals in cities including London, Bristol and Leeds from this week, with each
designed to house around 100 extra patients.
"Given the high level of Covid-19 infections and increasing hospital admissions, the NHS is now on a war footing," National medical director Stephen Powis said.
The extra beds are designed for patients who are recovering from illnesses, including those who no longer have Covid, to free up space and staff to treat large numbers of virus cases.
In a strategic move to enhance healthcare delivery, the NHS has announced plans to intensify the utilisation of virtual wards under the the Urgent and
Emergency Care Recovery Plan.
The NHS virtual wards are aimed to reduce avoidable hospital admissions across England.
This follows a comprehensive analysis revealing significant benefits from virtual wards over the past year.
"Virtual wards offer a transformative approach to healthcare delivery, allowing patients to receive medical care from the comfort of their own homes," remarked
NHS national director for urgent and emergency care, Sarah-Jane Marsh.
"This initiative not only reduces the burden on hospital resources but also ensures that patients receive timely and personalised care."
The National Health Service(NHS) has reported a record number of attendances at Accident & Emergency (A&E) departments and emergency admissions for any
June, reflecting significant pressure on healthcare services amidst hot weather and recent strikes by junior doctors.
Last month, hospitals across the UK handled over 2.29 million A&E attendances and more than 536,884 emergency admissions, marking increases of 3.1 per cent
and 7.2 per cent respectively compared to the previous year.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, acknowledged the strain on frontline teams:
"Frontline teams are continuing to work exceptionally hard under significant pressure to provide the best care they can for patients."
Well Pharmacy, one of the UK's leading independent pharmacy chains, has been offering flu vaccinations for free.
The chain says it is concerned as the winter flu season is now in full force, with hospital admissions reaching a peak and flu stats higher than they have been in
recent years.
Recent data shared by NHS England showed that there was an increase in flu cases by nearly 70 per cent leaving many in hospital each week.
Well Pharmacy is worried about those who have yet to have the flu jab and has been urging people to get one for free.
It recognises that only children aged 2-11, people over 50, and those with certain medical conditions are eligible for free NHS jabs, leaving millions who would
normally have to pay for a flu vaccination which usually costs £15.
Research recently undertaken by the chain shows that a quarter of people (25 per cent) think that after so many Covid-19 jabs in the last few years, 'vaccine fatigue'
has led to a perceived lack of motivation in others to get their jabs.
Being able to access high-quality healthcare at the times you need it most is vital. Regardless of whether this is a simple check-up, a medical review or
complex surgery, having a suitable healthcare package designed according to your medical needs will be beneficial in the long run.
The NHS has recently come under significant strain. Factors such as an increase in the number of patients, reduced funding and increased life expectancy have led to
long waiting times and limited treatments.
As a result, more individuals are now seeking private healthcare which, while it may be more expensive, offers faster and more effective treatment. Here we'll discuss
some of the main benefits of private healthcare and why it is becoming the ideal choice for healthcare in 2023.
Reduced waiting times
One of the main issues faced by the NHS is waiting times, with some patients being made to wait up to a year for routine hospital care. Currently, ambulance services
and A&E units are under unprecedented pressure and it is estimated that hundreds of deaths each week are associated with admission delays.
Understaffing has been a chronic issue in recent years in the NHS and is a major threat to the welfare of patients. This has been one of the major concerns that has
led to nurses and ambulance staff taking strike action. As nurses and hospital workers are put under higher strain, they are more likely to make mistakes, which
could well lead to patients coming into harm and making a claim.
Opting for private healthcare guarantees that you are able to access your appointments, surgeries and treatments much quicker, with some flexibility offered to align
with your lifestyle. The capacity to bypass the painfully long waiting times ensures you receive the necessary medical attention much sooner and could prevent the
emergence of other health complications.
England won't have any new Covid-19 restrictions before the end of 2021, health secretary Sajid Javid said on Monday (December 27) whilst the government awaits more evidence on whether the NHS can cope with high infection rates in the new year.
"There will be no further measures before the new year," Javid told reporters, adding: "When we get into the new year, of course we will see then whether we do need to take any further measures."
He said that the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus now accounted for around 90 per cent of cases across England and urged people to celebrate New Year
cautiously.
The government's attention is focused on the number of patients being hospitalised with Omicron after early data last week suggested the variant carried a lower
risk of admission.
The latest data showed the number of patients in hospital in England with Covid-19 was its highest since March, at 8,474, but a long way off peaks above 34,000 in January.
A combination of factors, including Britain's vaccination programme, the lag between infections and hospitalisations and the potentially less harmful effects of the Omicron variant have all been put forward by health experts as possible explanations for lower numbers.
At their recent online briefing, DAUK's GP committee outlined a comprehensive 10-point plan designed to relieve pressure on GPs, improve access, reduce
mortality rates, lower hospital admissions, and enhance patient satisfaction.
DAUK's manifesto advocates reallocating resources, including the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), currently directed towards Pharmacy First and
acute care hub pilots, amounting to £2 billion.
This strategic reallocation aims to enhance primary care capacity and reduce reliance on acute services.
Dr Lizzie Toberty, DAUK's GP lead, emphasised the critical need for patients to have timely access to GPs who understand their needs, stating, "We need patients
to be able to see a GP who knows them and understands their needs in a timely way wherever possible."
She highlighted DAUK's vision to restore general practice as the cornerstone of the NHS through practical, achievable solutions.
The NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) has published a new paper highlighting the learnings from a major COVID-19 research trial conducted in primary
care settings.
The paper, which draws on insights from the PANORAMIC study, emphasised the importance of prioritising primary care studies from the very start of any pandemic
to prevent worsening of patient symptoms and reduce hospital admission.
Additionally, it recommended considering the use of UK-wide pharmacy networks, including community pharmacies, to promote research inclusion for future similar
trials in primary care to increase recruitment in underserved communities.
Authored by Professor Phil Evans, GP and Deputy Health and Care Director at the NIHR RDN together with colleagues from the NIHR and University of Oxford, the
80-page paper concluded that primary care research should be at the forefront of future pandemic preparedness.
During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, much research was carried out on critically ill patients in secondary care settings.
Pharmacy teams are being encouraged to support the ground-breaking Platform Adaptive trial of Novel antivirals for early treatment of Covid-19 In the Community (PANORAMIC) study by raising awareness among patients.
The study aims to find out whether new antiviral treatments can help Covid-19 patients avoid hospital admission and support a quicker recovery.
The PANORAMIC trial will allow researchers to gather data on the potential benefits of treatments to patients and will help the NHS to develop plans for rolling out the products to further patients in 2022.
Anyone over the age of 50 or between 18 to 49 with certain underlying health conditions can participate in the trial after receiving a positive PCR or lateral flow test result for Covid-19.
People who wish to participate in the trial can sign up themselves through the study's website and may be contacted by a member of the clinical team in a general practice that has been set up to deliver the PANORAMIC trial.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced 30 pence increase in prescription charges from £9.35 to £9.65 for each medicine or appliance
dispensed.
Board Chair for England at RPS, Thorrun Govind commented: "This is a kick in the teeth for people in England who are already struggling with rising bills and food
prices.
"Patients groups have warned that people are not collecting prescription medicines due to cost and pharmacists are seeing this worrying trend first-hand.
"A Government impact assessment noted the risk of adverse effects of people not taking their medicines, resulting in future health problems for the individual,
potential hospital admissions, and a subsequent cost to the NHS.
"This decision seems to prioritise revenue generation over ill-health prevention and undermines the principle of an NHS free at the point of use.