The British Red Cross has said that the NHS is facing a “humanitarian crisis” this winter as hospitals and ambulance services struggle to keep up with rising demand. It follows the deaths of two patients after long waits on trolleys in hospital corridors.
But the NHS and health secretary Jeremy Hunt have rejected the Red Cross’s claims. Over the weekend one of NHS England’s specialist directors said he thought the service was not “at that point” of crisis, but admitted demand was higher than ever. Hunt similarly dismissed any notions of a humanitarian crisis.
Speaking on Monday Hunt argued that the situation had “eased significantly” over the weekend, saying the numbers of patients kept too long on trolleys “has reduced to a handful now. so it’s much, much lower than it was a week earlier”.
We want to hear from front-line staff and patients about how the NHS is coping this winter. If you are a doctor, nurse or other member of the NHS tell us about your week. Do you have any concerns about patient safety? What are you most proud of? If you are a patient, tell us about the care you received. Did you face any delays? Were you able to find a bed locally or did you have to travel? Perhaps you want to thank a doctor or nurse for looking after you.
- This call-out will be open over the next few months to gather stories across the winter period.
