NHS under ‘enormous strain’ as A&E departments turn away ambulances

Hospitals are under huge strain, with increasing numbers so busy they are having to divert ambulances to other sites because they are unable to cope.

 

Over the past seven days, 20 NHS accident and emergency departments in England issued diverts, with patients taken to other hospitals.

 

A&E departments still taking new patients have seen increasingly long delays, with over 25 per cent of ambulances waiting at least 30 minutes to handover patients.

 

Although all areas of the country are facing unprecedented pressures, NHS bosses in West Yorkshire and the south central area of England have reported particularly severe strain.

 

Saffron Cordery of NHS Providers, an organisation which represents hospitals, said “We’re very concerned about the real pressures across the whole health and care system.

 

“A very high number of hospital beds are occupied, and combined with staff absences and severe workforce shortages, this means that trusts can’t recover care backlogs as quickly as they want to.

 

“Ambulance services are doing everything they can in these extremely difficult circumstances, but the extra pressures are leading to growing delays to handovers to busy emergency departments.

 

“This means that ambulances aren’t able to get back out into the community as quickly as they would like.”

 

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events.  Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

 

If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.

 

Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

 

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