The Government is being urged to take action as the NHS faces 'unrelenting' pressure this winter. Top medics have described the current situation as 'unbearable' and 'intolerable', with both the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary facing calls to address growing concerns about the state of emergency care in the NHS.
It comes as more than a dozen NHS trusts and ambulance services declared critical incidents over the festive period. There are claims that up to 500 people a week are dying as a result of delays in urgent and emergency care.
The British Medical Association (BMA) insists that the Government’s 'political choices' are leading to patients 'dying unnecessarily'. Professor Phil Banfield, chairman of the BMA council, said: “The current situation in the NHS is intolerable and unsustainable, both for our patients and the hard-working staff desperately trying to keep up with incredibly high levels of demand.
