96 per cent of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's critical care beds were in use last week

There were 59 adult critical care beds available at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in the week to December 19.

That figure is for all critical care beds, not just the ones set aside for Covid patients.

A total of 55 (96 per cent) of those beds were occupied, compared to 98 per cent in the previous week.

The 96 per cent figure was the 12th worst out of 142 hospital trusts in England that week.

The total number of staff absences at the Leeds trust in the week to December 19 was 1,391, compared to 1,319 for the previous week.

Of the total absences, an average of 353 (24 per cent) were Covid-related in the week to December 19 compared to an average of 285 in the previous week.

The number of patients arriving by ambulance at hospitals run by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in that week was 1,199.

There were a total of 68 of ambulance handover delays between 30 and 60 minutes at the trust and two handover delays of more than 60 minutes.

NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis said: "he NHS is on a war footing and staff are taking the fight to omicron, by boosting hundreds of thousands of people each day, treating thousands of seriously ill covid patients and delivering urgent care for other conditions, all while seeing a worrying, high and rising increase in absence due to covid.

“We are once again ramping up to deal with the rise in covid infections, and quite rightly staff are making every possible preparation for the uncertain challenges of omicron, including recruiting thousands of nurses and reservists, but while we’ll leave no stone unturned to get the NHS battle ready, it remains the case that the best way to protect yourself and others is to follow guidance and to come forward and get your first, second and booster jabs.”

Natuionally, The total number of days lost due to covid staff absence increased by 38 per cent in the week ending December 19 compared to the week before. Up from 90,277 to 124,855.

The number of total staff absences increased by 10 per cent from 416,995 to 457,135.

On average each day, 10,693 beds were taken up by patients who were fit to be discharged last week – 184 more beds each than the week before when 10,509 beds were taken up each day.

Bed occupancy remains high with 93 per cent of adult general and acute beds occupied.