There have been over 30,000 more deaths than expected in the past six months alone, equivalent to 1,155 a week, ONS figures have revealed. Are NHS delays the problem? Or is it the long tail of the COVID pandemic?
Almost 2,500 more people died in the week to 23 December than expected, 20% more than the five-year average for the same period, new figures from the ONS reveal.
Analysis from LCP Actuaries suggests that a significant number of these deaths could be due to the current NHS crisis and delays in emergency treatment.Many of the recent excess deaths are occurring at home, as opposed to in hospitals or care homes. "During the pandemic more people decided they wanted to live out their final days at home rather than in hospital where access from friends and family may prove difficult. This trend has continued, supported by the NHS.
The data on where this balance lies doesn't exist as yet, but Mr McDonald said England's chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, was aware of the issue and trying to find out more.As well as these potential extra deaths at home, analysis by LCP Actuaries suggested that as many as 500 deaths a week could be caused by delays in A&E.
A spokesperson for NHS England told Sky News they didn't recognise the figures:"While services are under significant pressure across the NHS, there are a number of different reasons why we may see higher mortality levels than normal, including from things like inclement weather and rising population numbers."
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