Excess death numbers drop in Hampshire, new figures reveal - but pressures on NHS remain

Almost 100 more people have died in Hampshire than would be expected in the last four weeks, new figures show.

But health think tank, the King's Fund, said the latest data, which shows a sharp fall in the number of excess deaths across England and Wales, is welcome after a winter hit by high flu numbers and an NHS under intense pressure following the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities figures show 323 deaths were registered in Hampshire in the week to January 27, the most recent week for which data is available.

Some 340 people were expected to die in that week, 17 fewer deaths were recorded than expected, though this remains well below the two-year peak of 170 excess deaths in the week to February 5, 2021. Since the turn of the year, 90 excess deaths have been logged.

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Across England, there were 548 excess deaths in the week to January 27 – a significant fall on the weekly average of 2,543 in the three weeks before since the turn of the year.

The 3,746 excess deaths recorded in the week to January 13 was the highest on record in almost two years, dating back to the 5,120 logged in the week to February 5, 2021.

Dr Veena Raleigh, senior fellow at the King's Fund, said: ‘This lull should not lead to complacency. Emergency services remain under intense pressure and the NHS is also facing a rising backlog of care, with the waiting list now exceeding 7m. The combination of over-stretched health and care services and growing unmet care needs will continue to present potential hazards to health for some time to come.’

The Department for Health and Social Care said the recent peak in excess deaths was caused by several factors, including high flu prevalence, cold weather, the ongoing challenges of Covid-19 and health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

A spokesperson added: ‘Our urgent and emergency care recovery plan will further reduce pressure on hospitals by scaling up community teams, expanding virtual wards, and get 800 new ambulances onto the roads.’