Hospital beds 99% full … as NHS faces flu outbreak

hospitals have already filled 99 per cent of beds before the worst of the winter hits, experts warned.

Bosses were told to free up beds ahead of what health chiefs fear will be a particularly bad flu season, but some failed to hit their targets and hospitals are already running out of space.

the Nhs is preparing for a very busy winter, and expects an aggressive strain of the virus to begin circulating within the next few weeks. the same strain wrought havoc in australia and led to one of the worst-ever flu seasons in the country.

Nhs providers, which represents hospital trusts, said the health service would be ‘sorely tested’ over the next few weeks.

two anonymous hospital chief executives told the organisation that their beds were already 98 per cent and 99 per cent occupied.

the same executives said that 11 per cent of their beds were taken up by ‘bedblocking’ patients who are medically well enough to go home.

Many of these are elderly and cannot be

‘Services will be sorely tested’

discharged as care has not been arranged outside of hospital.

Chris hopson, chief executive of Nhs providers said: ‘Winter always presents a big challenge to the Nhs.

‘We cannot say with certainty how tough this winter will be, but the likelihood is that services will be sorely tested.

‘We must hope the considerable efforts to curb the impact of flu are successful.

‘What we can say with confidence is that Nhs trusts ... will do all they can to provide high quality care for every patient, whatever the pressure.’

last month hospitals were given an extra £335 million as part of the Budget to manage winter pressures. they will be expected to use their share of the money by paying for extra staff in a&E, such as Gps who can assess patients as they arrive.

in september the head of the Nhs, simon stevens, urged hospitals to make special preparations in anticipation of a very severe flu outbreak.

they were urged to free up between 2,500 and 3000 beds collectively by working with local councils to enable patients to be discharged home more quickly.