Heart attack patients told to make own way to hospital as Covid surge hits northern England

NHS under pressure as growth rate in hospitalisations more than doubles compared with London

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Heart attack patients calling 999 in parts of northern England are being asked to get a lift instead of waiting for an ambulance as hospitals in the region experience more than double the growth rate in numbers of Covid patients compared with London.

Four more NHS trusts in England - all outside London - declared critical incidents" on Tuesday amid soaring staff absences, rising numbers of Covid patients and growing pressure on emergency services.