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NHS hospital overcrowding and long stays ‘killed more than 4,500 patients last year’, report finds

The number of 12-hour stays has risen drastically for six months and is very likely to rise again in coming months, according to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.

At least 4,519 patients have died as a result of crowding and 12 hour stays in Emergency Departments in England over the last year, a shocking report has found.

The number of 12-hour stays has risen drastically for six months and is very likely to rise again in coming months, according to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM)

The RCEM described the outlook as “bleak” and has called for a meeting with Health Secretary Sajid Javid to discuss the crisis.

Last month there were 7,059 12-hour stays from the time the decision was taken to admit the patient, the highest number ever recorded and 40 per cent higher than September, which was the previous highest on record.

The RCEM called on the Government to restore bed capacity to pre-pandemic levels, pointing out that across the UK an additional 7,170 beds are required.

It also wants ministers to ensure social care is resourced to support patients when leaving hospital and once they are back in the community, which would help to reduce long hospital stays and prevent successive trips to A&E.

There is currently a shortfall of up to 2,500 emergency medicine consultants as well as shortages of essential emergency medicine nurses and junior and supporting staff. Health leaders have called on Mr Javid to publish a long-term workforce plan “as a matter of urgency”. The Health Secretary told hospital bosses on Wednesday that he had “set in train” a 15-year strategic framework for the health and social care workforce.

Dr Adrian Boyle, vice president (policy) of the RCEM, said: “To say this figure is shocking is an understatement. Quite simply, crowding kills. For many years we have issued warnings about the harm that dangerous crowding causes, but now we can see the number of excess deaths that have occurred as a result. These figures will not surprise any member or fellow of the Royal College.

“We now know that at least one in 67 of these [12-hour stay] patients are coming to avoidable harm. It is appalling. The situation is unacceptable, unsustainable and unsafe for patients and staff. Political and health leaders must realise that if performance continues to fall this winter: more and more patients will come to avoidable harm in the Emergency Department; staff will face moral injury; and the urgent and emergency care system will be deep into the worst crisis it has faced.

“We continue to urge the Secretary of State to meet with us to discuss patient safety and the unprecedented pressures facing the urgent and emergency care system.

“It is up to the Government, NHS leaders, and all of us to work together to put a stop to dangerous crowding; avoidable harm; preventable deaths; ambulance handover harm; and to ensure that we keep patients safe and deliver effective urgent and emergency care.”

The Department of Health and Social Care was approached for comment.

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