Almost 20% more people went to A&E at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary in October compared to the same month before the pandemic.
That's according to a report from the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust chief executive Dame Jackie Daniel, who highlighted that there were also significantly more ambulances arriving at the hospital and less free beds for patients than in the months before Covid-19 hit. Dame Jackie's report warned of the "further challenges" the NHS is facing this winter.
The hospital boss - who also serves as vice-chair of the NHS Confederation organisation - said that despite a mild November, winter's bite had already been felt on the wards. In the report, submitted to the trust board last week, she said: "While the November weather may have been unseasonably mild, the start of winter pressures across the NHS has already been very evident.
