Meanwhile, the heatwave currently cooking the UK is compounding existing pressures on the healthcare service, the Health Secretary said on Monday.
Steve Barclay said contingency measures have been put in place in the health system, but Labour called on ministers to “step up” and “show the urgency this crisis demands”.
Mr Barclay told the Commons: “Even before this heatwave, ambulance services in England have been under significant pressure from increased demand, just as they have across the United Kingdom.
“The additional pressure on our healthcare system from Covid-19, especially on accident and emergency services, has increased the workload of ambulance trusts, increased the average length of hospital stays and contributed to a record number of calls.
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