“It’s going to go down more slowly because of the increased transmissibility of the new strain,” he told the House of Commons health and social care committee on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Mr Hopson said hospitals “were hoping for a sharper peak that came sooner and shorter”, adding: “So something, for example, where we saw the peak and started to crest it in mid to late January.<\/p>\n
“It now looks like the peak for NHS demand may actually now be in February.<\/p>\n
“If that’s right, that’s going to basically mean there’s a higher level and a more extended period of pressure on the NHS than we were expecting even a week ago.”<\/p>\n
Mr Hopson told MPs the NHS was now considering “a series of emergency contingency arrangements” in order to maximise hospital capacity where they are under the greatest pressures.<\/p>\n
He warned that infection rates were rising “really very rapidly” beyond those areas in England where the new coronavirus strain had first spread.<\/p>\n
“We’ve talked a lot about London, the South East and the East of England – but what’s very clear is infection rates are now rising really very rapidly beyond those areas, in the Midlands, the North West and the South West,” Mr Hopson said.<\/p>\n
“That’s a particular worry because trusts in the Midlands and the North have got significant numbers of patients still in hospital from the second surge.<\/p>\n
“And, in the South West, because of its smaller bed base, we know it’s less able to absorb pressure than the other regions.”<\/p>\n
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As England entered the second week of its third national lockdown, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that the government “may have to do more”<\/strong> if ministers feel COVID rules “are not being properly observed”.<\/p>\n Police officers are also set to be quicker to enforce coronavirus restrictions than they were during last year’s lockdowns.<\/p>\n Mr Hopson said the NHS was in a “slight limbo period” in which the impact of the Christmas period and the recent tightening of COVID measures had yet to be seen.<\/p>\n “We need the evidence to come through as quickly as it can about whether we do need tighter restrictions,” he told MPs.<\/p>\n “And clearly, if they are needed, the sooner we get them in place the better. But this is a really, really, incredibly serious position.”<\/p>\n