Prime Minister calls in NHS chiefs for crisis talks after worst-ever emergency department delays
RISHI Sunak today summoned NHS chiefs to crisis talks amid the worst ever wait times for ambulance patients to be transferred to A&E.
The Prime Minister convened a rare Saturday summit to ease easing pressure on the ailing NHS. Several hospitals have reported critical incidents.
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Ambulances, emergency rooms and wards have become overcrowded, increasing waiting times.
Meanwhile, patients prepared for more chaos last night as Unite said ambulance crews will strike on January 23.
Last week, 5,105 flu patients were in hospital beds – an increase of 47 percent from the previous week. The number of Covid cases has also increased.
Ambulance handover delays reached a new high last week as one in four patients waited more than an hour to be taken to A&E, up from ten per cent a year ago.
Four in ten waited at least half an hour, up from 23 percent compared to twelve months ago.
The delays reveal the ongoing struggle medics face as they fight for space for those arriving at the hospital.
An average of 12,809 beds were filled with patients ready to leave, almost a third more than this time last year.
Tomorrow's Downing Street meeting will be attended by Health Secretary Steve Barclay, Chancellor of the Exchequer John Glen, Cabinet Office Secretary Oliver Dowden and NHS England boss Amanda Pritchard.
The NHS Confederation said doctors were working in “crisis conditions with inherent risks to patient safety”.
Tomorrow's NHS Recovery Forum will discuss ideas to solve patient discharge delays and other emergency care issues.
Mr Sunak has admitted the NHS is under “enormous pressure” but said this is a priority.
The Ministry of Finance warns that wage increases will fuel inflation
Workers hoping for big pay rises at the next public sector pay review will be disappointed as ministers warned this would only increase inflation
The evidence sent to independent boards by the Treasury for the 2023/2024 settlement also shows that private sector wages will rise by an average of just 3.5 percent next year.
Expected pay in the private sector is usually the best indication of what the average public sector worker will be paid, with one government source saying: “It's about fairness”.
The government guidance also warned: “Higher pay could carry the risk of higher and more persistent inflation.
“This in turn would lower real incomes and could push interest rates even higher, raising borrowing costs for households and the government, wiping out limited room for maneuver against government fiscal rules and potentially leaving future generations with higher debt be taxed.”