NHS faces tough winter as government announces £140m urgent care boost
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper says the funding will increase urgent care capacity across England as the NHS prepares for seasonal illnesses
The NHS faces a more challenging winter than normal, the Health Secretary has warned as she announced a £140 million boost for urgent care in England.
Yvette Cooper said the money would help increase capacity, and NHS has been preparing since July to deal with the impact of seasonal illnesses.
She said: “Winter will be more challenging for our NHS this year, after such a heavy summer.
“That’s why we have been preparing early and investing in extra urgent care capacity to help get patients the care they need.”
The money will be spent on 14 schemes across the country, including new urgent care centres, ambulance fleets and upgrades to emergency departments.
It comes after a summer of extreme heat placed additional strain on the NHS. Almost 7.3 million people attended A&E between June and August, the highest figure for a summer period.
In September, experts warned of a “twin crisis” facing the NHS with the impact of record temperatures in the summer combining with seasonal winter illnesses such as flu and norovirus.
The NHS’s national medical director warned earlier this month that hospitals were showing “ominous” signs of an early flu season.
Professor Frankie Swords said hospital admissions for the virus were the “highest” she could remember for the time of year, coinciding with an expected increase in Covid admissions.
Emma Rowland, NHS executive director for performance and delivery, said: “We know this winter will be tough for the NHS and we’re doing everything we can to reduce pressure on our emergency departments and make sure patients get the care they need, while protecting our staff.
“Investment in same-day emergency care and urgent treatment centres will help more patients get the right care in the right place, at the right time.”
She also urged the public to make sure they get vaccinated against flu and other winter viruses if they are eligible.