Full Story in The Guardian 2 April 2018
The unprecedented pressure on the NHS this winter is likely to continue into the summer, the British Medical Association said.
The health service has come under huge strain this winter with almost 150,000 patients in England having waited more than 30 minutes before being admitted to A&E, according to NHS figures.
Official data shows patient waiting times, bed shortages and ambulance queues have hit record levels. While the situation would normally ease in the summer months, the BMA said hospitals are braced for more of the same problems this year.
Using official data from the last five years, the BMA’s health policy team forecast a number of scenarios for this summer’s NHS performance, measured in terms of A&E attendances, waiting times, admissions and trolley waits.