Greater Manchester running out of hospital beds

A leaked NHS document shows that Greater Manchester is set to run out of beds to treat people left seriously ill by coronavirus.

The paper suggests that Greater Manchester’s hospitals are quickly heading towards being overwhelmed by the sheer number of people with coronavirus needing emergency care to save their lives. It showed that by 16 October the resurgence of the disease had left hospitals in Salford, Stockport and Bolton at maximum capacity, with no spare beds to help with the growing influx.

In total, by that date, 211 of the 257 critical care beds in Greater Manchester – some 82 per cent of the total supply – were already being used for either those with Covid or people who were critically ill because of another illness.

The disclosures also follow another document, obtained by the Manchester Evening News, which showed that on current trends the region could have more hospital deaths and more intensive care beds occupied by late November than it had at the peak of the pandemic in early to mid-April.

The revelation follows ongoing negotiations between the government and Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester. Ministers have designated Greater Manchester a tier 3 area, requiring the toughest sort of local lockdown, but Burnham said this can only happen with greater support for businesses forced to close such as pubs, and those left without income.

Burnham has written to Boris Johnson, Keir Starmer and other Westminster political leaders urging them to hold a Parliamentary vote to decide the level of financial aid for areas under the strictest tier 3 restrictions.