Ambulance handover delays hit record high

Long ambulance handover delays hit record levels in the past week as the winter crisis in the NHS reached its height. There were an average of 2,834 hour-long handover delays every day in the week to 4 January, according to the latest NHS winter sitrep data released today. That was the highest since records began.

The previous record was at the start of January 2023—a time of intense and high-profile pressures on services, due to a very high flu peak and ongoing Covid-19, when many patients were harmed.

At that time a daily average of 2,682 hour-long delays were reported. Since then, cutting handover delays has been a high priority of government and NHSE.

On Monday, HSJ reported long ambulance handover delays were surging in the Midlands and northern regions, which have recorded more of them than in the 2022-23 winter.

Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, said: “It is clear that hospitals are under exceptional pressure at the start of this new year, with mammoth demand stemming from this ongoing cold weather snap and respiratory viruses like flu—all on the back of 2024 being the busiest year on record for A&E and ambulance teams."

Read full story (paywalled)

Source: HSJ, 9 January 2025