Under pressure: How departments fare across NHS

HELENA VESTY FINDS OUT HOW LEADERS THINK EACH SERVICE IS DOING AS THEY CONTINUE WINTER STRUGGLE

- HELENA VESTY

GREATER Manchester was hit with intense pressures this winter as strains on the NHS rose to unprecedented heights. But health bosses have admitted those same challenges will continue even as the spring approaches.

Hundreds of patients who cannot leave wards, hospitalised Covid patients in January almost reaching peak pandemic levels, and thousands languishing on operation waiting lists – all have become routine within the NHS.

This week, the committee held an ‘extraordinary’ emergency meeting to hear how the city, and the rest of Greater Manchester, is coping as the NHS continues in crisis.

INSIDE A&E

“It’s really challenging [in urgent and emergency care]... We’re seeing more patients come through our A&E departments and we’re seeing sicker patients coming through our A&E departments,” said Darren Banks, the group director of strategy for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), which runs Manchester Royal Infirmary, North Manchester General Hospital and Wythenshawe Hospital among a host of the region’s other major care centres.

“[There are] more patients who, when they arrive, need to be admitted to receive care and treatment.”

Resources have been and continue to be stretched. At their worst, all of the hospital trusts in the region declared themselves to be on the highest alert level in the week approaching Christmas.