‘Winter’ keeps wreaking havoc on strained Emergency Departments

6 March 2025

Norovirus cases are still heaping pressure on our health system and leaving Emergency Clinicians struggling to admit patients due to lack of ward space.

In response, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine has described hospital occupancy levels as ‘dangerously high’.

And it is not just people suffering from the virus which is adding to the strain – it is the spread of the illness within wards – further limiting available beds – as well as staff themselves getting sick.

New data released today – 6 March 2025 – by NHS England reveals 273 beds were forced to close last week to prevent and reduce transmission of the bug.

As hospitals near capacity, it means patients who need in-patient care can’t be admitted – and end up stranded in A&E leading to overcrowding, ‘corridor care’ and extremely long waits before an elusive bed can be found.

The figures, which cover 24 February – 2 March 2025, are part of NHSE’s weekly situation reports and show:

• There were 1,094 patients a day in hospital with norovirus. While this is slightly down on the week before (1,134), it is more than double the number of people hospitalised with the illness compared to the same time last year (470).  

• More than 40,000 ‘bed days’ were lost because of norovirus. This is when a bed is occupied or unavailable for a day due to the virus.  

• An average of 13,430 patients each day who were deemed medically well enough to leave, were stuck in hospital last week waiting to be discharged – 400 more than last week.  

• With viruses circulating in hospitals, around 49, 223 staff were off work due to sickness each day. This is 8% higher compared to last year.  

More than 11,200 additional beds would have been needed to bring hospital occupancy down to a level considered safe (85%).

Dr Adrian Boyle, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine said, “It’s clear from today’s data that norovirus remains a relentless challenge for both staff and patients in our hospitals.

“Due to its contagious nature, it’s closing beds which further limits availability.

“For patients in ED needing to be admitted, it means watching the clock tick by, often on a trolley in a corridor, waiting for a bed to become available.

“When we have a health system which has so little slack, highly infectious illnesses can have a significant impact.

“Resulting in dangerously high levels of occupancy – last week almost 95% when you look all beds. To be considered safe this level should be 85%.

“Let’s speak plainly – our hospitals are running out of space which means we are struggling to admit people so they can receive the care they need.

“We are now into our third month of significant ‘seasonal’ pressure. Implementing measures which improve patient flow and increase available beds must be a political priority – we can’t go on like this.”

Today’s data comes as NHSE also released further details of its 2024/25 Urgent and Emergency Care Incentive Scheme, revealing how much cash is being offered to Trusts that have the best and most improved four and 12 hour waits in EDs.