Ninety per cent of hospitals overcrowded, BBC reports

Analysis conducted by the BBC has found that nine in 10 NHS trusts have taken in unsafe levels of patients on hospital wards this winter.

Hospitals are currently directed to have no more than 85 per cent of beds occupied, in order to reduce the risk of delays and infections, however, data has indicated that 137 out of 152 hospital trusts have exceeded this level since the beginning of December.

According to reports, patients have companied of: long waits on trolleys for a bed to become free; queues of patients blocking A&E departments; overworked staff on wards; and operations being cancelled at the last minute.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, commented: “Above 85 per cent and the risks start rising and once you get into the 90 per cent it is significant. You don't get this in other countries and it just shows the pressure hospitals are under.

“Previously it would be unusual to see more than 350 people in our A&E in one day but this is now the norm. We've had several days where more than 450 people were treated."

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This story was first published in digitalhealth.net

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