Ambulances with Covid patients seen queuing outside London hospitals as 'heartbreaking' pressure on NHS rises
Ambulances with Covid-19 patients have been seen queueing outside hospitals in London as the UK recorded its highest daily coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.
Footage on social media appeared to show emergency vehicles lined up outside the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel and Queen’s Hospital in Romford, both in east London on Tuesday with coronavirus patients having to be treated outside in ambulances before entering the building.
Experts have warned London's intensive care units could be overwhelmed within two or three weeks with some already running at 200-300% capacity.
Plans are being discussed to transfer ICU patients from London to Newcastle.
In London between 18 and 24 December there were 808 Covid cases per 100k - double the rate in England and a 37% increase from the week before.
NHS Providers’ deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery warned pressure on the NHS was “rising at an unsustainable rate”.
The College of Paramedics’ spokesman Martin Berry said first responders were under unprecedented pressure.
“The demand on the system and the people within that system is at a level we’ve never had to contend with before,” he told the BBC. “It’s utterly heartbreaking.”
A statement released by the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Queen’s Hospital, urged people to only contact ambulance services in the case of real emergencies.
“Along with the rest of the NHS, we are under considerable pressure as we look after a rising number of Covid-19 patients, some of whom are being cared for safely in ambulances before entering Queen’s Hospital,” it said.
“You can help us by calling NHS 111 if you need medical advice, and only coming to our emergency departments in a real emergency.”
It comes as a “major incident” has been declared in Essex as the number of coronavirus cases threatens to overwhelm health services in the county, with Covid patient levels now higher than during April's peak.
Coronavirus patient numbers have reached their highest levels during the pandemic, with 50,023 further cases reported on Wednesday, slightly down on Tuesday's 53, 135 - a record high.
A further 981 people - one of the highest daily death tolls of the pandemic - died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Wednesday, bringing the UK total to 72,548.
In London between 18 and 24 December there were 808 Covid cases per 100k - double the rate in England and a 37% increase from the week before.
The Barts Health NHS Trust, which is responsible for Royal London Hospital, said in a statement it had opened an extra coronavirus ward on Sunday.
“We are treating very high numbers of patients with Covid-19 across our hospitals, and in line with our winter escalation plan we have moved into a ‘very high pressure’ phase and taking steps to keep our patients safe,” it added in its statement on Tuesday.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to tell the Commons on Wednesday more areas in England will be placed under the country’s toughest coronavirus restrictions.
London is likely to remain in Tier 4, although there have been rumours of a possible Tier 5 which could mean primary schools, secondary schools, and universities would close.