West Norfolk hospital says plans are in place to reduce pressure on beds this winter
NHS bosses have also strengthened emergency care provision and are ensuring more services are on offer for elderly people.
Senior staff at a hospital in West Norfolk are telling us they've got plans to place to ensure medically fit patients are discharged on time to reduce pressure on bed spaces.
NHS England have warned emergency care services are likely to come under “significant pressure” and says it's upgraded their 24-hour live data centres to manage demand across the UK.
"It's a particularly busy time for doctors, nurses and therapy staff"
Simon Illingworth is chief operating officer at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital:
"See more respiratory infections coming into the Emergency Departments (ED), we often see our length of stay increase as well, as some patient are more unwell".
"It's a particularly busy time for doctors, nurses and therapy staff".
"There's 111 available, as well as pharmacy support services in the community to access medication.
"Primary care is also there and the ED will always be there for people who are acutely unwell".
What is NHS England doing to deal with 'Winter Pressures'?
All healthcare systems have been asked to ensure all services work together to make sure patients are cared for in the safest possible place, and treated as quickly as possible.
This includes having front door assessments for patients to ensure they are signposted to the right place for their needs, including dedicated falls services for older people, as well as regular board and ward rounds throughout the day, and timely discharge for patients who are medically fit to leave hospital.
NHS trusts have also been asked to focus on patient safety and experience, maintaining consistent high standards of care, and only using temporary escalation spaces in periods of elevated pressure.
Measures outlined also include ensuring community care can be provided for those with complex needs, mental health issues or frail older people, which will avoid the need for a hospital admission. This should include ensuring all areas of the country have mental health response vehicles available for use and on the road ahead of the winter months.
All hospitals now have a care transfer hub, which works across the NHS and social care to manage discharges for patients with more complex needs – with the number of discharges rising by around 5,000 (1.7%) in July 2024 compared to the same month last year.
Hospitals with major A&Es now deliver same day emergency care services, meaning that over 2.5 million patients a year are being cared for in one day, rather than needing to spend the night in hospital.
"We cannot continue to fix the annual winter crisis with sticking plasters"
Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care), Karin Smyth said: “We’ve inherited an NHS that is broken but not beaten, and staff have been doing an excellent job in coping with record attendances at A&Es this summer.
“This government has been clear that we cannot continue to fix the annual winter crisis with sticking plasters. That is why we are working to radically reform the NHS through the 10 year plan and build a health service that is fit for the future all year round.”