The head of the NHS has claimed that the health service was never overwhelmed by Covid even during the height of the pandemic.
Chief executive of NHS England Amanda Pritchard told MPs that expanding critical care, introducing new treatments and rolling out the vaccine prevented wards from being overrun over the last 18 months.
However, she warns that a ‘tough winter’ will see thousands more hospital treatments cancelled
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The Mail Online reports: Mrs Pritchard also warned the NHS is on course for a ‘tough winter’ and that a rise in Covid-infected patients would have a knock-on effect on how much other, planned care could be carried out.
She suggested pressures on the health service could see thousands more hospital treatments cancelled. More than 1.5million NHS ops were cancelled or delayed due to the chaos of the pandemic.
Her comments were echoed by Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who told MPs there is ‘huge pressure’ on the health service in England.
Mr Javid admitted there are ‘shortages’ of 999 call handlers after ex Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt raised the issue in the House of Commons. Meanwhile, paramedics also warned six-hour waits for ambulances could become ‘commonplace’ this winter.
The College of Paramedics claimed ambulances have been forced to wait outside of hospitals because of packed A&E wards, and warned that the problems will only get larger as winter demand picks up.
Meanwhile, Labour warned of a ‘winter crisis of misery for patients’.
Asked about her appointment during the Health and Social Care Select Committee, Mrs Pritchard said she was proud the health service avoided becoming overwhelmed at the height of the pandemic.
Niamh Harris
I know. I live across the road from the major hospital It was never so dead quiet as the last 2 years.