Steve Barclay announces 900 extra NHS hospital beds to ease winter waiting times

Patients will benefit from 900 new hospital beds across the NHS (Image: GETTY) The £250million boost will cut waiting times and ease pressure on the health service suffering from severe backlogs because of the pandemic. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: ‘Cutting waiting lists is one of my top five priorities so this year the Government has started planning for winter earlier than ever before. ‘The public can be reassured we are backing the NHS with the resources it needs. These 900 new beds will mean more people can be treated quickly, speeding up flow through hospitals and reducing frustratingly long waits for treatment.’ Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay (Image: GETTY) Some 30 NHS organisations across England will receive the investment by January in urgent and emergency care services. Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: ‘We know winter is a difficult time so we’re working to get ahead of pressures whilst also creating a sustainable NHS fit for the future.’ Charlotte Nicholls, from the Stroke Association, said: ‘This investment comes at a critical time for the NHS with too many stroke patients’ lives and recoveries being put at risk due to handover delays, a breakdown of patient flow and a lack of capacity.’ Meanwhile, Mr Barclay has plans to halve the number of Department of Health offices, reports suggest. Some 21 sites across the country are set to be scaled back to 10 under proposals under consultation.