Ambulance trusts declare ‘extreme pressure’ alerts and ‘war zone’ A&Es face 16-hour delays

The NHS in England is under extreme pressure as all ambulance trusts have declared their highest-level alert, leading to patients facing wait times of up to 16 hours. Additional pressures caused by wintry weather, a Strep A virus outbreak, and a backlog of procedures due to Covid-19 have led to urgent calls to only seek A&E help if in a genuine emergency. Nurses have begun strikes over pay and some ambulance staff plan to strike next week. Demand has increased with the 111 service receiving a 60% increase in calls and ambulance trusts receiving a record number of 999 calls.