Responding to NHS England’s announcement that same day emergency care services have led to thousands more people every week avoiding an overnight stay in hospital Rory Deighton, director of the NHS Confederation’s Acute Network, said:

“The expansion of same-day emergency care and corresponding drop in overnight hospital stays is testament to the planning and hard work of NHS leaders and their teams. This has been one of the toughest winters ever for the NHS, so it is great to see that the health service has met its ambition to roll out same day emergency care to every hospital in England.

“Without these services the NHS could have faced insurmountable pressures, with data over winter showing that beds were filling up as quickly as they could be opened with bed occupancy above safe levels and too many patients who were medically well enough to go home stuck in hospital beds due to a lack of support in the community.

“But while this scheme has been successful the pressure on the NHS and its staff this winter has still been immense. The combination of winter viruses, staff absences and industrial action has led to long waits for ambulances or in A&E, critical incidents being declared and patients receiving care in corridors and overflow wards. This must not become the new normal.”