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The NHS is gearing up to face its “toughest winters” as it sets up “winter war rooms” in England by December 1, a news report has stated. According to the reports, hospital managers are worried over catastrophic scenes in emergency departments and NHS bosses have warned of a “twindemic” of COVID-19 and flu.
The Telegraph reported that regional health bosses have been ordered to establish 24/7 “data-driven control centres”, which will provide accurate information on bed capacity in hospitals and care homes.
The centres will be operated by “clinicians and experts” who can identify pressure points and act to reduce deadly ambulance delays and lengthy waits in A&E.
The report stated: “If one hospital becomes particularly busy, staff at the control centre will divert ambulances to a different A&E even if it is several miles further away. Doctors and nurses could be moved to the busiest sites.”
In total 42 “system control centres” will be set up by December 1.
In England, A&E waiting times are already the worst on record, with 1,000 people a day waiting 12 hours to be admitted.
In a letter to staff, health leaders in England last night set out “winter resilience plans” including new rapid-response teams for elderly patients who trip or fall at home.
They will treat patients in their homes, avoiding trips to hospital and freeing up about 55,000 ambulance trips each year.
New data has revealed that 300,000 patients may have come to harm as a result of ambulance delays this year.
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Top health officers worry that the pressure on ambulances could be made even worse by a surge in Covid.
According to the latest data, deaths due to coronavirus have begun to rise again in England and Wales.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said 400 deaths registered in the week ending October 7 had mentioned coronavirus on the death certificate.
That was a 39 percent rise from 287 deaths the week before.
The ONS infection survey estimated that 1.5 million people would have tested positive for Covid in England in the week ending October 3, up from 1.1 million the week before.
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