Demand in Emergency Departments jumps by half in the space of a week

Demand in Emergency Departments has risen by almost 50% in the space of a week as winter pressures hit.

The Ambulance Service and GP out of hours services are also dealing with an unprecedented level of calls.

This time last week the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) warned that the health service was in for a rough time this winter.

The latest statistics from Emergency Departments (EDs) show pressures rising over the holiday period.

At noon on Wednesday, almost 800 people were waiting in hospital EDs for treatment or admission to a ward - a 50% increase from when the CMO spoke last week.

The Ambulance Service is also reporting a very high volume of 999 calls - greater than the same time last year when still in the midst of Covid.

On Christmas Day there were almost 900 calls - more than 100 calls more than Christmas Day last year. The expectation is that this rise in pressure will continue over the next few weeks.

Dr Tom Black from the British Medical Association (BMA) said out of hours services are overwhelmed by the volume of calls coming in.

He added that it's been the most difficult Christmas on record for out of hours services.

Health Trusts are advising the public to only attend EDs in the instance of a real emergency and advise that alternative avenues of care are listed on the Department of Health website.

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