Responding to the ministerial statement by prime minister Boris Johnson, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery said:

“As we start to see more people admitted to hospital with COVID-19, with a risk that deaths will increase, it is important that we take steps to prevent the spread of the virus.

“We must also remember the indirect impacts of the pandemic in terms of people’s mental health, and the wider social and economic disruption that threatens to widen health inequalities and increase demand for care in hospitals and mental health, community and ambulance services.

“We are not in the position we were in six months ago. We’ve seen significant advances in treatments and our understanding of the virus, and the NHS has learned a lot from the huge challenges posed by the initial surge in cases which will be invaluable in the coming months.

“However trusts still face many challenges which must be recognised as they work to restore routine services, while dealing with more COVID-19 cases and winter pressures.

“The situation demands strong measures and also public confidence in the government’s approach including in the Test and Trace system, where urgent progress is needed.

“No one doubts the impact of these restrictions on peoples’ lives. But the consequences of failing to act and failing to protect the NHS would be even worse.”