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In 2023, almost 14,000 people in England are estimated to have died due to excessive waits in emergency departments, averaging more than 260 deaths per week, according to new figures from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM). The RCEM estimate is based on a large study of NHS patients published in the Emergency Medicine Journal in 2021, which found one excess death for every 72 patients who spent eight to 12 hours in an A&E department. Following a Freedom of Information audit of NHS trusts, the college has found that 65 per cent of people waiting 12 hours or more in A&E were patients waiting for a hospital bed. NHS data for England revealed that over 1.5 million patients waited 12 hours or more in major emergency departments last year. Based on the RCEM calculation, this indicates that over a million of those patients were waiting for a bed.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published Lord Darzi's report on the state of NHS England, which revealed that the health service is in "serious trouble." Lord Darzi pointed out that the NHS has failed to meet key promises made to the public since 2015 and patient satisfaction is now at its lowest ever level. Rising waiting times and difficulties accessing GPs were highlighted as major concerns. "There are huge and unwarranted variations in the number of patients per GP, and shortages are particularly acute in deprived communities," the report said. Darzi described the state of A&E as "awful", noting that nearly 10 per cent of patients wait 12 hours or more today. Additionally, Lord Darzi's investigation found that the NHS budget is not being optimally allocated, noting that "too great a share is being spent in hospitals, too little in the community, and productivity is too low."

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.

Long appointment wait times, embarrassment, and lack of trust are causing thousands of Brits to avoid visiting doctors, according to new research by Newfoundland Diagnostics. With 1 in 4 individuals resorting to A&E due to the lack of available GP appointments, which adds to the NHS burden, the medical self-testing brand believes that educating the nation on at-home testing can help ease the strain on the health service. The research revealed the top five reasons why Brits avoid visiting doctors for medical testing: Appointments taking too long to book (28 per cent) Embarrassment around their illnesses (15 per cent) Preference for at-home testing (12 per cent) Not having time (10 per cent) Lack of trust in the NHS or their GP (7 per cent) The research team cautioned that delaying care can worsen conditions, resulting in more severe cases that place greater strain on the NHS.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) recently published Lord Darzi's report on the state of NHS England, revealing that the health service is in "serious trouble." "The service has been chronically weakened by a lack of capital investment, which has lagged behind other similar countries by tens of billions of pounds," he stated. Shortly after taking office, Health Secretary Wes Streeting commissioned an independent investigation to assess the challenges facing the healthcare system in preparation for a new 10-year health plan. Former surgeon Lord Ara Darzi was appointed to lead this review. In his report, Lord Darzi pointed out that the NHS has failed to meet key promises made to the public since 2015, and patient satisfaction is now at its "lowest ever level." Rising waiting times and difficulties accessing GPs were highlighted as major concerns. "There are huge and unwarranted variations in the number of patients per GP, and shortages are particularly acute in deprived communities," he said. Lord Darzi described the state of A&E as "awful," noting that nearly 10% of patients wait 12 hours or more today.

A total of 7,599 whooping cough cases have been recorded in England from January to May 2024, according to new data released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). In January 2024, there were 555 cases, followed by 920 in February, 1,427 in March, 2,106 in April, and 2,591 in May. While the majority of cases (over 53 per cent) occurred in individuals aged 15 years or older, who typically experience milder symptoms, a significant number (262) were reported in babies under 3 months old, who are at the highest risk of severe complications and death from whooping cough. Since the outbreak began in November last year, there have been nine infant deaths (one in December 2023 and eight between January and May 2024). Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a bacterial infection affecting the lungs. This cyclical disease peaks every 3 to 5 years, with the last increase seen in 2016.