No respite for overstretched EDs as ‘winter’ continues

20 February 2025

There has been no respite for embattled emergency clinicians as rising numbers of norovirus cases means seasonal pressures continue.

New data released today (20 February 2025) by NHS England revealed that last week (10 February to 16 February 2025) saw the highest number of people (more than 1,100 a day) hospitalised by the illness – which is also known as the winter vomiting virus.

That is up 22% on the previous week, and more than double what it was for the same week in 2024 (509).

The data – which is part of a series of ‘situation reports’ released weekly during winter also shows:

• Almost 95 out of every 100 in-patient beds (94.2%) in major hospitals in England were occupied. That’s beds for adult and children. It’s little to no improvement compared to last week, when this figure was 94.3%.
• An average of 13,767 patients each day who were deemed medically well enough to leave, were stuck in hospital last week waiting to be discharged.
• A total of 18,688 hours were lost to ambulance delays over 30 minutes, which is just over two years’ worth of time. So far this winter, almost 39 years’ worth of time has been lost to handover delays.

More than 11,000 additional beds would have been needed to bring hospital occupancy down to a level considered safe (85%).

When patients cannot be discharged, it stops the flow through the hospital, often contributing to overcrowding and long stays in EDs as people wait for beds to become free. This causes the system to grind to a halt.

Dr Adrian Boyle, President of RCEM said, “Another week, another set of data which shows the relentless pressure Emergency Departments continue to face – with no respite in sight.

“The surge in norovirus cases is yet again adding to the challenges our members and their colleagues are experiencing.

“As well as increasing the number of inpatient admissions, with such a highly contagious illness, there is always a high risk that it will spread within hospital wards, resulting in their closure to new patients, which further limits available beds, and can contribute to staff sickness.

“And as the number of beds reduces, the crowding in the ED increases and results in the degrading and shameful situation of so called ‘corridor care’.

“This week, the Health Secretary said he’s ‘not going to allow’ corridor care to become ‘normalised’ and one of the Prime Ministers closest advisors was able to see it for himself when he visited his local hospital.

“The upcoming Urgent and Emergency Care plan presents an opportunity for the government to start addressing this dangerous situation, and give the people of England, and our exhausted clinicians, a functioning health system they can be confident in once again.”

Labour MP, Chris Ward, visited Royal Sussex County Hospital’s Emergency Department in Brighton, yesterday, and praised staff on social media, stating the work they are doing “under incredible pressure, was amazing to see.”