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Almost half of ambulance crews were delayed by more than half an hour dropping off patients at England’s A&E departments in the week to New Year’s Day, new figures reveal.

Some 44% were delayed by 30 minutes or more – the highest proportion on record.

More than a quarter (26%) were delayed by more than an hour.

The figures lay bare the pressures hospitals have faced in recent weeks, with flu cases rising by 47%.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak acknowledged the “enormous pressure” the NHS is under, and repeated his commitment to tackling waiting lists, which he first outlined during his first major speech of 2023 on Wednesday.

Speaking to broadcasters during a visit to a London school, Mr Sunak said that moving people out of hospitals into social care and communities, in order to free up hospital beds, is “one of the most powerful” ways to cut down ambulance waiting times and ease pressures on A&E departments.

He added that the government is also supporting the NHS “with billions of pounds of extra funding,” blaming the COVID-19 pandemic for current challenges.

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Flu cases up almost half in a week

New figures from NHS England showed there were 5,105 patients with flu in general and acute hospital beds, up from 3,479 the previous week.

The number of patients in critical care beds with flu also increased by 26%, up from 267 the previous week, to 336. The NHS 111 service answered the second highest number of calls ever in a week – 410,618.

The importance of ‘flow’ in the context of NHS pressures

Anyone following the media coverage of the NHS winter crisis will have heard health leaders use the word “flow”.

It’s a deceptively simple word and its importance in the context of NHS pressures can’t be understated.

It explains how a functioning health system should work: sick patients arrive, are treated and then discharged. The uninterrupted flow of patients through a hospital.

But too many patients are stuck in hospital when they should be back in the community. That is because there are no social care packages for them in place for a safe discharge.

This week’s NHS winter data shows a slight fall in the number of these patients. That is an encouraging sign.

There are huge efforts underway to manage these patients with initiatives like virtual wards and more rapid community discharge teams. These all help but are not a solution to an underfunded and under resourced social care system.

There is also the caveat that any figures covering Christmas and New Year might not be totally accurate. The next set of figures will show if that trend continues.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said that adding extra call handlers and establishing community services would ensure the NHS is in the “best place possible to provide care”.

He maintained that “good progress” is being made on the effort to put 7,000 extra beds in place by March.

‘Worst we’ve ever seen’

On 1 January, Sky News counted 24 ambulances parked outside the A&E department at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

A member of ambulance staff told Sky News that at one point in the day their official dashboard showed 32 ambulances were stuck waiting to transfer patients at the hospital, with additional vehicles waiting round the back of the hospital after space at the front was taken.

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Half of Staffordshire ambulances queuing outside hospital

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Paramedic and representative of the UNISON union, Dennis Hodgkins, who works in Staffordshire, said that the situation is the “worst we’ve ever seen”.

He added that the “chances of survival are going to be reduced massively” following some Category One calls – like heart attacks or anaphylactic shocks – having taken him 25 minutes to respond to, 18 minutes more than the seven minute target.

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England and Scotland fans discover where their opening World Cup games will be played

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England and Scotland fans discover where their opening World Cup games will be played

England and Scotland fans have found out where their World Cup group games will be played when the tournament kicks off in June.

England, who are in Group L, will begin their tournament against Croatia in Dallas at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 17 June. They will then go on to face Ghana in Boston at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 23 June and Panama in New Jersey, New York, at 5pm EST (10pm BST) on 27 June.

Scotland are in Group C, and their first match will be against Haiti in Boston at 9pm EST on 13 June (2am GMT the following morning).

They will go up against Morocco also in Boston at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 19 June and then Brazil in Miami at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 24 June.

Fans are expected to rush to sort their travel and accommodation plans now that they know where and when the matches take place.

Read more: Unapologetically political – a World Cup draw like no other

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England and Scotland learn World Cup fate

Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to find out if they will qualify.

Wales must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.

If they beat these play-off opponents, they will secure their place in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

However, Northern Ireland will also be vying to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

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World Cup 2026 – who England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will play

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World Cup  2026 - who England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will play

Scotland and England now know who they will face in the group stage of the next summer’s world cup.

But the fates of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Wales won’t be determined until they compete in pre-tournament play-off matches in March.

England are in Group L along with Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Their first match will be against Croatia, who beat them in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

Scotland’s first match will be against Haiti, in Group C.

Brazil and Morocco are the other Group C teams – both countries were also in the same opening group as Scotland in the 1998 World Cup in France.

Trump and Infantino at the World Cup draw
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Trump and Infantino at the World Cup draw

Wales have yet to find out if they will qualify as they must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, and then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.

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If they can overcome these play-off opponents then they will secure their place in Group B along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. But Northern Ireland will also be vying and hoping to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw

The Republic of Ireland also need to get through the play-offs first and are paired against the Czech Republic for their semi-final. Should Ireland win that match, they will need to beat either North Macedonia or Denmark to get to the finals where an opening group containing joint hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea awaits.

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Crafted for one man – this was a World Cup draw like no other

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Crafted for one man - this was a World Cup draw like no other

This was a World Cup draw like no other. Crafted less for the teams but for one man.

The choice of venue. The creation of a new trophy. The closing music act.

Donald Trump was lavished with the adulation he craves by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and feels others unfairly deny him.

Knowing how much being overlooked by the Nobel Committee hurt the US president, there was Mr Infantino with FIFA’s newly-created Peace Prize to hand over. And a medal for Mr Trump to wear.

“This is truly one of the great honours of my life,” he said. “And beyond awards, Gianni and I were discussing this. We saved millions and millions of lives.”

This was all on the stage in front of an audience who turned up to find out who they will be playing at the World Cup.

England handed an undaunting route past Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Scotland paired with newcomers Haiti before tricky reunions from their last men’s World Cup in 1998 against Brazil and Morocco.

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Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

But the show before the draw could even begin – presided over by Rio Ferdinand – took almost as long as a football match, at 87 minutes after the noon kick-off was delayed.

There was a walk of self-promotion to complete – “I guess they have to wait” – before taking his seat in the Kennedy Center. Or the Trump Kennedy Center as the president takes to calling the venue picked 1.5 miles from the White House.

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England manager Thomas Tuchel reacts to draw

“It was falling apart,” he said, delaying the walk into the auditorium. “And now it’s, it’s pretty much back.”

Mr Infantino could only watch on, beaming, at his friend.

“We had a dead country,” Mr Trump went on, “and now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world”.

There was the awkwardness of being reminded, before receiving the peace accolade, about threats to launch military strikes on Venezuela to stop the drugs trade.

“I did settle eight wars, and we have a ninth coming,” he swatted away the question. “Which nobody’s ever done before. But I want to really save lives. I don’t need prizes.”

But FIFA knew how much he wanted more gold for the collection with the prize.

More on this story:
What draw means for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Pic: Reuters
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Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Pic: Reuters

Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

And for all the mockery and disdain targeted at FIFA, how many sports would relish having the US president spend several hours attending a procedural event determining the placing of teams in groups for a tournament?

How many would dish out the same flattery to secure direct lines to the leader of the nation staging their championship?

Many have benefited from Mr Trump’s stardust and swagger being attached to this spectacle.

Even Port Vale’s most famous fan – Robbie Williams – secured a walk-on role, exceeding his profile this side of the Pond.

And the Village People are reaping the rewards of becoming the unlikeliest of Trump hype acts.

The festivities ended with eyes fixed back up to the presidential seating and the YMCA dance being performed.

This was an afternoon that dispelled any pretence that FIFA keeps a distance from politics. It was unapologetically political. But few speak out in the FIFA world as the redistributed wealth keeps rolling back in their direction.

It would be easy to forget this isn’t entirely America’s World Cup. They’re sharing hosting with Canada and Mexico.

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‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw

And eventually the spotlight was ceded to their leaders – very briefly – as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney drew out their countries’ names.

But it did live up to FIFA’s mantra that football can unite the world.

The neighbours were brought together here on a snowy day in Washington. And tensions – often stoked by Mr Trump with Canada and Mexico – thawed in the name of football.

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