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Critical care patients could be moved from London to Yorkshire as hospital beds are full, according to a new report.
Officials have asked to relocate patients from the capital as coronavirus hospitalizations continue to rise, leading sources told the Health Service Journal (HSJ).
The number of patients admitted has now passed the first wave peak in April.
London’s intensive care units (ICUs) currently have a capacity of 114.2%, while in the south-east it is 113.4% and in the east of the country it is 100.6 %, according to data leaked to the medical publication.
He reported that more than 60% of intensive care patients were diagnosed with coronavirus.
Usually, ICU patients are moved within regions, but longer journeys from London to Yorkshire are rare.
Watch: Ambulances line up outside London hospital as COVID patient cases rise
A London clinician told HSJ: “Capacity in London looks very serious at the moment: the numbers continue to rise.
“Several hospitals have reached or near their full peak capacity. There is a fairly extensive transfer activity between hospitals.
“It looks like it will be for quite a long time and is likely to get worse after the holiday period.”
Hospital staff working in other areas could be redeployed to cope with the growing number of hospitalizations, the publication reported.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces increasing pressure to extend the strictest coronavirus restrictions amid increasing pressure on hospitals in England.
NHS England figures showed there were 21,787 patients in NHS hospitals in England at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, up from 20,426 on Monday and 18,974 at the first wave peak on April 12.
In total, five of the seven NHS regions in England are currently reporting record numbers of Covid-19 hospital patients: East England, London, Midlands, South East England and South West England.
The surge in coronavirus cases has prompted local authorities in Essex to declare a ‘major incident’, the Guardian reported.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock is due to announce any changes in the areas of levels in a statement to the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Critical Care Society president Stephen Webb said hospitals may need to cancel elective care appointments to deal with the surge in hospital admissions.
He added: ‘We need a message to the public but also to the NHS England & Improvement that we are coming to a crisis, and we need the full force of the NHS resources directed to hospitals to support patients. with covid-19 … “
An NHS spokesperson said: ‘The NHS has tried and tested plans in place to deal with significant pressure whether it be high rates of COVID-19 infection or non-Covid winter demands and this has always included self-help practices in which hospitals work together to manage admissions.
“As the NHS opens more beds in places like London to treat the sickest patients, it is essential that people continue to follow government guidelines and do everything to reduce transmission of the virus.”
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