WIREDGOV

Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, responding to the latest NHS weekly sit rep data

‘The NHS faces a frosty start to 2026 with pressure on NHS services running hot in the face of a cold snap and a rebound in winter viruses. The health services talk of a period of 'calmer waters' before the new year has come to an end but with the number of beds occupied by flu patients 46% lower than this time last year the pressure is not as acute as the previous winter.

‘Many NHS staff and leaders have worked around the clock to protect patients as best they can, planning for months in advance, despite the additional disruption caused by industrial action and spikes in flu cases. There is no doubt these actions have prevented the system from becoming overwhelmed, with bed occupancy rates standing at 92% for the first week of January – slightly better than we have come to expect for this time of year. But this should not be treated as a sustainable level of pressure and is certainly not one that is providing the best possible outcomes for patients.

‘To create a sustainable health service in the face of winter pressures will lie in more fundamental changes to improve people’s health and includes tackling social care reform. This will prove difficult given new visa and settlement rules that are likely to increase the high vacancy rates in the social care sector and leave already patchy coverage even more scarce. The Casey Commission, which is due to publish a Phase 1 report this year, will need to address this and much more to improve access to social care services and the experience of those using them.

‘The year ahead for the NHS will also present challenges and change. The government will begin to implement the major changes to how the health service in England is organised that it announced last year. That looks set to begin shortly with the expected introduction of new legislation to abolish NHS England and pass many of its powers into the hands of the Secretary of State. How effective these changes will be remains to be seen but they are unlikely to provide a quick fix at a time where public satisfaction with the NHS is hovering around record lows.

‘The government now has two winters under its belt. Next winter will be a further key test of whether the government is achieving its stated ambition to ‘fix’ the NHS and deliver the short waits and high-quality care both patients and staff want.’

Notes to editors