A woman walks during misty weather in Primrose Hill, London.
(Picture: PA)A London nurse has said that pressures on A&E departments are at an “all-time high” following plummeting temperatures that have left vulnerable people, including pensioners and rough sleepers, admitted with hypothermia.
The UK has been hit with freezing conditions this week, including snow and ice, with the capital facing temperatures under 0C as a cold blast of air sweeps across from the Arctic.
One NHS nurse from a Southwest London A&E department said they had witnessed an influx of elderly patients arriving at A&E in a hypothermic state on Sunday. Many had not turned on their heating for fear of exorbitant energy costs, they said.
Some patients were said to be coming in with hypothermic temperatures at 35C –well below the normal body temperature of 37C. The nurse claimed that some patients were so cold that it was difficult to get bloods from them.
An A&E nurse told the Standard: “Most elderly people came in because of no heating at home and were found cold by their carers.
“The pressure in A&E on Sunday was at an all-time high. From about 9am ambulances were queuing which would be the time carers would be starting their shift to see their patients.
“Almost all patients were found at home to be hypothermic (stone cold) having been at home with no heating overnight... Homeless [people] were also being brought in having collapsed outside due to the extremely low temperatures.”
The cold snap comes as A&E departments already face severe pressure. Figures published last week showed that one in four ambulances (27 per cent) waited over 30 minutes to hand ill patients over to A&E in London hospitals in the week up to December 4.
The target is for handovers to be completed within 15 minutes. Ambulance chiefs have warned that handover delays are leading to patients dying.
Hospitals are struggling to discharge patients and free up capacity in A&E as many beds are occupied by patients in need of adult social care who have nowhere else to go. Nurses and ambulance workers are also set to strike on several dates later this month, which is expected to pile further pressure on the health service. A nursing strike is set to begin on Thursday.
Erika Radford, Head of Health Advice at Asthma + Lung UK, told the Standard that cold weather could trigger “potentially life-threatening asthma attacks and cause other lung conditions to get significantly worse”.
“To stay well, we would advise that people heat their homes to at least 18°C if they can, but we know that this is going to be hard for many people this winter. In our recent survey, almost three-quarters of those surveyed told us they plan to heat their homes less, while 45 per cent look set to turn their heating off altogether to cope with the rising cost of living,” she said.
“With energy bills increasing, more people are being plunged into fuel poverty and forced to live in freezing homes. Winter is already a deadly time for people with lung conditions and the last thing we want to see is more people being rushed to hospital fighting for breath, because of exposure to the cold.”
A spokesperson for the NHS in London urged pensioners to ensure their homes were heated adequately and access Government support if they were struggling to do so.
“Cold weather can make some health problems worse and even lead to serious complications, especially if you are 65 or older, or if you have a long-term health condition.
“There are a range of NHS services where you can get help and advice if you feel unwell including at pharmacies, your GP practice or by calling 111 or going to NHS 111 online.
“”If you’re not very mobile, aged over 65 or have a health condition, try to keep your home heated to at least 18C in at least the rooms you regularly use. If you are worried about the costs of keeping your house warm, talk to your local energy provider or go online and find out more about the support you’re entitled to at gov.uk”.
A Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy spokesperson told the Standard: “We understand this is a difficult time for many households, including pensioners, which is why we have introduced an unprecedented package of energy bills support, including a £400 discount through the Energy Bills Support Scheme, and the Energy Price Guarantee which will save the typical household £900 this winter.
“More than 11.6 million pensioners will also receive the Winter Fuel Payment, boosted this year by an additional £300 Cost of Living payment.
“On top of this, we are also prioritising households most in need this winter, with over 3 million homes across Great Britain receiving an additional £150 energy bill discount through the Warm Home Discount, which will mean an extra 780,000 pensioners and low-income families will benefit this year compared to last.”
Rough sleepers are being supported by the Severe Weather Emergency Plan (SWEP) implemented by Sadiq Khan that the General London Assembly (GLA) say has helped to increase capacity at homeless shelters across London.
