Government accused of failing to stop NHS crisis

NHS providers, doctors and patients have accused the government of failing to stop the growing crisis in the NHS this winter.

The NHS in England is facing mounting pressure, with at least 21 trusts responsible for multiple hospitals on black alert, known as opel 4. This means they can no longer guarantee patient safety and provide their full range of services.

Three trusts in Somerset were operating at the highest alert level, whilst Ashford and St Peter’s hospital trust in Surrey declared it was on black alert and had had 320 patients in the A&E department over the last few days.

A lot of trusts that said they were not at black alert level have also admitted to being under pressure.

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) said it faced ‘extreme pressure’, which affected its ability to respond to potentially fatal incidents. It asked patients to find alternative transport if appropriate.

Paul Liversidge, the NEAS chief operating officer, said: “The last week has been incredibly busy, not just for our service but across the wider NHS network.”

Opposition parties have also accused the government of failing to stop the growing crisis in the NHS this winter, with shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth saying: “Yet again Theresa May reveals how entirely out of touch she is. She will next be trying to lecture patients that ‘nothing has changed’.”

John Kell, the Patients Association’s head of policy, added: “Ministers must be accountable for this winter’s crisis. The policy decisions that have left the NHS in this position are taken by the government, and it is ministers who are directly accountable to parliament and to patients when they vote at elections.”