The NHS experienced the busiest week in its history last week, with record numbers of hospitals having to send patients elsewhere or declare a major alert.
Fifty-two hospital trusts had to send ambulances elsewhere between 8 and 15 January, up from 39 the previous week and 27 in the second week of January last year, NHS England figures show.
Hospitals activate “A&E divert” plans when their emergency department is struggling with the number of patients turning up seeking care.
Sixty-eight trusts – 45% of the 152 in total in England – declared an alert last week, up from 65 the week before, in another sign that some hospitals can no longer meet demand.
NHS England said the rise was partly due to a change in how it records data, but doctors said last week was the most challenging and relentless they had ever faced.
On Monday 9 January 61 trusts issued an alert, which is thought to be the highest number ever on a single day.
Fifteen trusts were on alert continuously for 11 days in a row between 3 and 13 January. They included trusts in Stoke-on-Trent and in Copeland, Cumbria, where two parliamentary byelections are due.
Overall, England’s 152 acute NHS trusts – which between them run about 250 hospitals – recorded bed occupancy rates of 95.8% last week, well above the 85% considered safe. That was up slightly on the 94.8% in the week after the new year holiday weekend.
On Tuesday 10 January bed occupancy across England hit 96.4%, 15 trusts were full and another 24 had five beds or fewer free for patients who needed to be admitted as an emergency.
Fifty-two NHS hospitals sent patients elsewhere in busiest week yet
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