• NHS England publishes weekly winter performance data for 2-8 January
• Data shows bed occupancy rates are between 93% and 96%
• We say pressure on our services is unsustainable and resilience to deal with unexpected shocks impaired.

NHS England has published its winter performance data for the week up to 8 January 2017. 

The data is collected from hospitals each day of the week during winter and highlights pressure on the service through A&E closures, diverts and bed pressures.

The data shows:

• A&E attendances were high on 2 January at almost 59,000
• Daily attendances were above 50,000
• Bed occupancy rates ranged between 93% and 96%
• Higher number of trusts reporting OPEL level 3 or above

Responding to the latest NHS England data on key winter statistics, the chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, said:

“These figures confirm what we have been saying about the enormous pressures on the NHS. Daily attendances at A&E last week were consistently above 50,000. Bed occupancy rates – at or around 95% throughout the week - remained unacceptably high. There was also a sharp rise in the number of hospital trusts who declared alerts requiring urgent action, although by the end of the week none was at the highest escalation level. It should be remembered that the OPEL system of reporting is new and untested.

The pressure on our hospital, ambulance, community and mental health services is unsustainable, and the resilience of the system to cope with unexpected shocks, such as flu outbreaks, is impaired.

“Thanks to the heroic work of NHS staff, the majority of trusts are managing to keep their heads above water – just. But the pressure on our hospital, ambulance, community and mental health services is unsustainable, and the resilience of the system to cope with unexpected shocks, such as flu outbreaks, is impaired. We urgently need a credible plan for the rest of this parliament that enables the NHS to focus on key priorities in order to protect standards of care for the public.”