Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response

Ambulance response times improve in face of ongoing winter pressures

Patients received faster ambulance response times last month, despite new figures showing it was the busiest January on record for the most serious 999 call-outs, as winter pressures and industrial action continue to impact the NHS. Monthly performance figures published today show ambulances attended 72,861 Category 1 calls – for life-threatening cases – in January, […]

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Hundreds of thousands more patients to benefit from major NHS surgical capacity boost

Hundreds of thousands more patients will benefit from NHS treatment by next year thanks to dozens of new surgical spaces, the NHS announced today. As part of the biggest and most ambitious catch-up plan in NHS history, an estimated 780,000 additional surgeries and outpatient appointments will be provided at 37 new surgical hubs, 10 expanded […]

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England’s top doctor urges patients to access emergency care despite biggest strikes in NHS history next week

The NHS is asking patients to seek urgent care if they need it during industrial action next week and continue to attend appointments as planned unless contacted to rearrange. England’s top doctor has warned next week’s action could be the most disruptive yet as the NHS faces the biggest round of industrial action in its […]

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NHS weekly winter operational update for the week ending 29 January 2023

Responding to the NHS performance figures published today, NHS Medical Director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: “While there have been continued improvements in ambulance handovers and there are now fewer flu patients in hospital compared to the peak last month, today’s figures show that NHS staff remain under significant pressure. “Last week saw more people […]

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Record tests and checks delivered by NHS alongside high demand for A&Es and ambulances

New figures out today show the NHS performed its highest ever number of diagnostic tests for the month of May, while A&E attendances and emergency ambulance call-outs hit an all-time high for any June on record. Monthly performance data released today show 2.1m diagnostic tests were carried out in May – the most checks ever […]

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Longest waits falling despite busiest ever NHS winter

The COVID-19 backlogs in routine NHS treatment are being addressed, despite staff helping patients during the busiest winter ever, new figures show today. Despite record 999 volumes and ambulance call-outs for life-threatening conditions between December and March this winter, staff ensured that the number of patients waiting over one year for treatment had fallen by […]

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