Excess hospital deaths have hit record breaking highs
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) announced hospitals have reached hysteria as 2022 marked one of the highest excess death rates in 50 years.
Current pressures on the NHS and the aftermath of the pandemic are thought to be the leading reasons as to why conditions have majorly declined.
Figures show more than 650,000 deaths were registered in the UK in 2022, which has increased by 9% since 2019. The ONS has also revealed 2,500 people died more often than normal at the end of December – not including deaths that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research displays the number of people who died in private homes at the end of December was 37% higher than the past five years, excluding 2020.
According to the data analysed, deaths rates began to rise in June 2022 – when the number of people left waiting for hours in emergency departments on trollies hit levels that are only often seen in Winter.
On 1st January 2023, the President of the Royal College of emergency Medicine, Dr Adrian Boyle, suggested the crisis in urgent care could be causing ‘300-500 deaths a week.’ However, it has been noted that this is not a figure recognised by NHS England.
Dr Boyle said this winter is likely to be the worst on record for A&E wait times as hospitals are hit with rocketing demand driven by the flu, Strep A and COVID-19. To help reduce pressures, health bosses have re-introduced covid-style guidance in an attempt to lower infection levels.
Dr Boyle said: ‘We think between 300 to 500 people are dying as a consequence of delays and problems with urgent and emergency care each week. We need to get a grip of this.
‘I’d be amazed if December waiting time figures [which are yet to be released] are not the worst we’ve seen.
‘We need to increase our capacity, make sure there are alternative ways, so people aren’t all just funnelled into the ambulance service and emergency department.’
In addition to pressures being put on the NHS, the aftermath of COVID-19 have also been shown to contribute to the shocking statistic.
February 2021 saw the UK record 15,943 deaths from COVID-19, yet although transmission rate remains high, only 429 of the most recent deaths have been linked to the virus.
ONS data displays the biggest jump in excess deaths was seen in men aged between 50 and 64 and were most commonly caused by heart problems. Various studies, including one completed by Nature Medicine, found heart problems and strokes were more likely to occur in people who have fallen victim to the coronavirus.
Additionally, the cause for the number of deaths could also be linked to the amount of missed health appointments that were caused whilst the UK was in lockdown.
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