Commenting today (30 December) on current pressures across the NHS, Dr Nick Scriven, former president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said:
“The NHS urgent care system feels to be pressurised like never before with numerous hospitals and services calling critical incidents.
“This is the culmination of months increasing struggle which has been exacerbated by large numbers of people with influenza needing admission, along with a rise in covid cases.
“Hospital staff are struggling to perform heroics yet again but are going so far beyond the normal they are performing nothing short of miracles given the circumstances.
“However, limits will be reached and we now need to see further action from government, NHS leadership and the population at large.
“I would ask people to consider carefully if their problem is requires emergency care and if they do present to hospital, to realise that people will be seen in order of clinical priority.
“Personally I feel now is the time for the NHS to consider a short term moratorium on the pressure to recover elective work and all branches of medicine to recognise the state of the system and work together for the common good.
“I would also be inclined to advise that people with symptoms that could be flu or covid should be cognisant of the possible risks and to consider foregoing social gatherings to minimise the spread of viruses.”
Acute medicine deals with the immediate and early treatment of adult patients with a variety of medical conditions who present to hospital as emergencies.
The specialty receives the majority of patients admitted from A&E and helps maintain the flow of patients through emergency departments to avoid exit block, the term used when patients cannot be moved into a hospital bed.