Hospitals in virus hotspots are on the brink of running out of beds, potentially threatening cancer treatment and the smooth rollout of vaccines.
Some 2,034 virus patients were admitted to UK hospitals yesterday, with one in three NHS trusts treating more Covid-19 patients than at the peak of the first wave.
Health chiefs warned of the cancellation of thousands of routine operations and outpatient appointments, prompting the longest NHS waiting times for decades. Last night hospitals in London, where cases are doubling roughly every six days, were facing a ‘real and imminent threat’ to cancer surgery.
Some 2,034 virus patients were admitted to UK hospitals yesterday, with one in three NHS trusts treating more Covid-19 patients than at the peak of the first wave (file image)
In the South East, half of all hospital beds are occupied by coronavirus patients, compared with 27 per cent one week ago. If the situation continues to deteriorate, it could have an impact on the smooth rollout of vaccines as staff carrying out the programme may have to be redeployed to treat patients.
Last night there were 16,526 patients in England’s hospitals – compared with the peak of 18,974 on April 12.
If the current rate of increase continues, there will be more virus patients in UK hospitals on New Year’s Day than at any point during the first wave, when almost all elective surgery was cancelled.
It could have an impact on the smooth rollout of vaccines as staff carrying out the programme may have to be redeployed to treat patients. Pictured: A woman receives the first of two Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine jabs, at Guy’s Hospital, London
Danny Mortimer, the chief executive of the NHS Confederation, warned of ‘massive disruption’ to non-Covid treatment and said it was essential the test and trace system improves. He told the Mail: ‘Members are expecting mass cancellations over the next weeks as an inevitable consequence of the rise in infections.
‘Particularly in Tier 4 areas, as we enter the New Year there will be massive disruption to non-Covid care.
‘In Wales there have been widespread cancellations, and there has been the prioritisation of Covid and cancer work in Kent, Essex and some hospitals in London.’ In addition to dealing with surging Covid-19 admissions, hospitals are struggling with usual winter pressures as well as staff shortages due to high levels of sickness and self-isolation.
Mr Mortimer added: ‘The volume of Covid patients is back at the levels of April, but the number of non-Covid patients is also much higher.
‘Hospital trusts and GPs will need decisive action [from Government] to help control the virus and roll out the vaccination programme.’ Latest data shows that one third of major hospital trusts in England now have more Covid-19 patients than at the peak of the first wave of the virus, with admissions accelerating fastest in Kent, Essex and London.
Only one trust in London – Barking, Havering and Redbridge – has passed its previous peak but the number of patients in hospitals in the capital has surged by 68 per cent in a fortnight, currently standing at 2,960.
The Health Service Journal reported that cancer surgery in London is under threat because NHS hospitals no longer have the same back-up capacity from the private sector as they did in the first wave.
One senior source said: ‘This is a real and imminent threat to London’s ability to perform cancer surgery.’ There is around a two-week lag between infections and being admitted to hospital, meaning any downward trend in admissions brought about by Tier 4 won’t be seen until the New Year.
Yesterday new modelling by the University of Cambridge’s MRC unit, which informs Government policy, predicted that the number of daily deaths could reach 900 on Jan 1.
Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, said: ‘Many chief executives say this is the most challenging time they’ve seen in their careers. What’s particularly worrying right now is the speed with which Covid-19 cases are growing.
‘Some hospitals are treating more than three times the number of Covid patients than in the first phase.’
Dr Nick Scriven, of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: ‘Currently the front line of the NHS is split: in the North, hospitals are still in the grip of the second wave with high occupancy levels whilst those in the South face a seemingly massive acute challenge.
‘Both areas are stressed by not only Covid patients but all those who need inpatient care for the myriad reasons that occur every winter.
‘While hospital teams in the South battle against the tide, those in the North are in a far more perilous state as they are anxiously waiting for the inevitable spread from a worse baseline in terms of bed availability.