Ambulances unloaded patients three minutes faster last week, even as A&Es saw more ambulance handovers than any point last winter. The ‘winter vomiting bug’ continues to build demand in hospitals with an average of over 1,100 adult beds closed or occupied each day last week due to norovirus. There were 360,286 calls answered by NHS 111 last week – almost 5,000 more than the same week last year (355,452 w/e 26 January 2025). NHS National Medical Director Professor Meghana Pandit said: “Hospitals continue to face sustained pressure from viruses and other demands, but NHS staff have worked hard to tackle winter head on and it looks like this is having an impact. “Winter pressures haven’t gone away, but the NHS is meeting them head on.