One in four critical care units got busier in past week

The number of patients in critical care grew at one in four English hospital trusts in the past week, despite overall covid-19 occupancy falling, HSJ can reveal.

It comes with adult critical care occupancy still very high in many areas — 10 trusts still have at least double the number of patients that they normally have space for. It highlights the ongoing pressure still on hospitals, with the prime minister due to decide in coming days on a timetable for loosening lockdown.

HSJ analysis of NHS sitrep data shows that 31 trusts (of a total 125 general acute trusts) saw the number of critically ill adults climb between 2 and 9 February.

Twenty-five of these trusts were either at or above their total capacity available last winter. The critical care units still seeing increasing pressure when compared to last year are spread nationally, but are predominantly in Yorkshire, Midlands and the North West, where the covid third wave peaked later.

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Source: HSJ, 11 February 2021