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Danny Mortimer, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, responded to the news that the NHS incident response level is to be raised 

“The NHS is at a critical point and increasing numbers of severely sick COVID patients in England’s hospitals illustrate just how busy frontline teams are and why the national lockdown is essential.

“The NHS remains open for all of the public’s health needs but will again need their support in following the national guidance on social distancing and infection control ahead of the expected lockdown in England to give it a fighting chance of continuing to deliver the same levels of non-COVID care.

“While the national lockdown in England is to be in place for four weeks, we must be guided by the science and how all our hospitals, mental health, ambulance, community and primary care services are coping. The early lifting of the lockdown without a viable regional alternative and vastly improved test and trace system could be catastrophic, particularly as we head towards the challenges of winter.

“Local NHS teams have learnt a lot about coronavirus since the first wave and they have shown their resilience and skill in responding to a major crisis. As the NHS’s incident response moves up to a Level 4, local leaders should have the backing from politicians and national leaders to decide what is best for their patients and communities and respond in the way they believe is most appropriate.”