2 hours ago Anttoni James Numminen Local Democracy Reporting Service LDRS NHS bosses said there would be a contingency plan should demand exceed expectation York and Scarborough hospitals are facing a shortfall of dozens of beds this winter, according to senior leaders. York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust forecasts a shortfall of 52 beds at York Hospital and 32 at Scarborough Hospital, based on expected winter demand. The prediction comes after the proportion of patients waiting for more than 12 hours in emergency departments at the trust's hospitals more than doubled, from 5.9% in April to 14.6% in August.
Despite the predicted shortfall, the trust said plans were in place to reduce pressure on services and provide extra capacity if needed. Health bosses said that improvements in same-day emergency care, shorter hospital stays and faster discharges could free up the equivalent of around 30 beds at York and 13 at Scarborough Hospital. Even with those improvements, a residual shortfall of 22 beds at York and 19 at Scarborough is still expected.
A trust spokesperson said they were preparing for additional pressures by working closely with health and social care partners. "Our winter plans focus on improving patient flow, reducing avoidable admissions and supporting patients to leave hospital safely as soon as they are ready," they said. Numminen/LDRS The trust predicts a bed shortage of 52 at York Hospital during the winter "Our Respiratory Virus Infection Management Plan worked well last winter, and we have taken a similar approach this year, recognising that flu is expected to place additional pressure on our services," they said.
"Our priority remains providing safe, timely care for our patients, and we will continue to monitor demand and respond to pressures as they arise." The trust estimates it would need an average of 110 discharges a day at York Hospital and 70 a day at Scarborough Hospital over winter to keep patient flow moving through the hospitals. More stories like this Related internet links
Source: BBC
