Despite being fit and healthy, he contracted lung cancer.
November also saw the largest ever number of patients occupying a hospital bed despite being fit to leave – 3,671.
Last year, just four pairs of hen harriers nested successfully in England and several of the fledged young immediately vanished, despite being fitted with satellite tags.
Some elderly patients are being trapped in hospital for up to 30 days – a day longer than four years ago, on average – while waiting to be transferred to a residential home, despite being fit to leave.
More patients than ever are trapped in hospital despite being fit to leave, often because of inadequate social care, and the number of patients not treated in A&E within four hours is one of the highest ever.
Record numbers of patients are getting stuck in hospital in England despite being fit to leave, raising new fears that the NHS will struggle to cope with this year's winter pressures and could run out of beds.
Huge numbers of hospital beds filled with patients "trapped" despite being fit to leave are adding to the deepening chaos in A&E and forcing operations to be cancelled, a survey of NHS bosses for the Guardian has revealed.
NHS figures show there were more than 18,490 "delayed transfers of care" – people still in hospital despite being fit to leave – between 19 December and New Year's Day, at a cost of just over £4.8m.
The number of patients who are trapped in hospital despite being fit to leave has reached an all-time high, putting extra pressure on the NHS as it enters its critical winter period.
Smith admitted he was disappointed not to start, despite being fit, in a game when he took fewer than 10 minutes to spin away from a static Sylvain Distin and score.
The player refused, meaning he has been on the sidelines despite being fit for the past two months.
