NHS ‘is coping with winter pressures’

NHS organisations are managing to cope with the additional pressure on healthcare infrastructure caused by the wintry weather, despite significant risks.

This is according to a new report from the NHS Confederation, which has spoken to a number of staff members and managers, finding that additional winter funding, improvements to local planning and innovative ways of working are ensuring services are not being overwhelmed.

However, many NHS leaders have raised concerns that staff are on a "knife edge", with any further drop in temperatures potentially causing an unsustainable increase in demand. Variations in performance levels across the country have also been seen.

The NHS Confederation believes this shows that more financial support needs to be given to healthcare providers at an earlier date, making it easier for them to step up recruitment and make contingency plans.

Chief operating officer at the NHS Confederation Matt Tee said: "The NHS as a whole needs to have better winter plans in place, with a focus on prevention and using local and community services, so that it can cope with any increase in demand."

The government took steps last month to make nearly 2,500 additional hospital beds available to patients over the winter, with the equivalent of nearly 3,000 extra staff being brought in through the recruitment of temporary staff.