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26
Jul 2022
Hospital ‘under greater pressure than winter’ as staff struggle to free up beds
The chief executive of Harrogate hospital has warned it is under greater pressure than in winter as staff struggle to free up beds occupied by covid patients and those waiting for social care.
Jonathan Coulter said the recent rise in covid cases and a lack of available care services meant patients were staying in hospital longer than they should.
He added this was having an impact on A&E waiting times which “remain below the standard we would want”, with over a quarter of patients waiting more than four hours to be seen.
Mr Coulter said in a report:
Read more:
- Positive covid patients at Harrogate hospital doubles in three weeks
- Harrogate hospital records increase in heat-related illnesses
- More than 130 Harrogate hospital staff absent due to covid in June
Mr Coulter said covid was also having an impact on staffing levels, with around 80 staff currently off work after absences climbed above 130 in June.
He described the pressures on the wider health and care system as “enormous” and said the problem of bed blocking – where patients are medically fit to be discharged from hospital but have no care packages available – needed to be addressed.
He said:
Mr Coulter added the hospital was continuing to take ambulance patients from outside the Harrogate district and that while this was creating added pressure, it was “absolutely the right response”.
He said:
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