By growing number of Covid absences
half of staff absences are due to Covid (44%), up from 36% last week – a rise of more than a fifth (22%).
Across the country, bed occupancy remains high, with an increase of two percentage points on the previous week, which accounts for an average of more than 1,500 more patients in hospital per day.
Efforts to discharge patients well enough to leave slowed last week – on average each day, 42% of patients that no longer meet the criteria to reside in hospital are being discharged.
That was slightly down from 45% in the week before Christmas (w/e 19th). The week of Christmas (w/e 26th), traditionally sees higher discharge figures.
Nine tenths (90%) of long stay patients (3 weeks) who no longer meet the criteria to reside in hospital are not being discharged each day to places such as social care on average.
On average each day last week, 4,495 patients who had been in hospital for three weeks no longer met the criteria to reside, with just 440 on average actually being discharged.
NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis said: “Omicron means more patients to treat and fewer staff to treat them. In fact, around 10,000 more colleagues across the
NHS were absent each day last week compared with the previous seven days and almost half of all absences are now because of Covid.
“While we don’t know the full scale of the potential impact this new strain will have, it’s clear it spreads more easily and, as a result, Covid cases in hospitals are the highest they’ve been since February last year – piling even more pressure on hard working staff.
“Those staff are stepping up as they always do; answering a quarter more 111 calls last week than the week before, dealing with an increasing number of ambulance call outs, and working closely with colleagues in social care to get people out of hospital safely.
“You can help us to help you by ensuring you are vaccinated against Covid.
“And as has been the case throughout the pandemic, if you have a health problem, please go to 111 online and call 999 when it is a life threatening condition – the NHS is here for you.”