Beds at Chesterfield Royal Hospital are “97 per cent” full as staff battle storm of virus admissions

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Beds at Chesterfield Royal Hospital are “97 per cent” full, bosses have confirmed, as staff battle an onslaught of flu, Covid-19, RSV and Norovirus cases.

The belaboured hospital has a capacity of 527 beds – up from 509 last year – however staff have opened 15 additional ‘surge’ and ‘super surge’ temporary beds to cope with the heightened demand.

CRH leaders say the surge in patients has been sparked by high numbers of flu admissions, a “significant number” of Covid-19 cases, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – which is particularly affecting children and norovirus.

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Michelle Veitch, CRH chief operating officer, said the hospital was “incredibly busy” and managing even more patients year-on-year. She added: “It is a challenge, and our teams are working tirelessly to manage the increase and ensure that every patient receives the best possible care."

Beds at Chesterfield Royal Hospital are “97 per cent” full, bosses have confirmedBeds at Chesterfield Royal Hospital are “97 per cent” full, bosses have confirmed
Beds at Chesterfield Royal Hospital are “97 per cent” full, bosses have confirmed

As part of plans to manage the crisis CRH bosses are reviewing on the required staffing daily, working with partners such as local authorities to streamline the discharge process and setting up temporary wards.

Amid the leap in admissions bosses at Chesterfield Royal have issued a plea for members the public to help reduce the strain by taking up Covid-19 vaccinations, practising good hygiene to prevent the spread of viruses, using NHS 111 for non-emergency medical advice and only visit A&E for genuine emergencies and checking heck on elderly or vulnerable neighbours.

CO Ms Veitch added: "We are here for when our communities need us and I’m proud that we continue to prioritise those with the greatest need – whether that be our cancer wait times or other critical areas.

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"As a Trust, we recognise the pressures and have solutions to support our colleagues with additional capacity. This includes committing to invest a further £1m in the winter plan, with £30,000 being spent each week to open additional beds and in the longer term, additional investment in our emergency department workforce.

"However we need people to only come to the hospital if truly needed and to support getting home and getting their loved ones home as soon as possible.”

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Chesterfield just is one of many areas across the country facing burgeoning demand on hospital beds as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has warned the NHS is "on its knees” and nurses admitting there is "barely a spare bed" in the entire health service.

Health leaders have sounded the alarm hospitals are "busier than ever" for this time of year, entering a winter they are "desperately worried" about. Nationally, 96,587 hospital beds were occupied each day last week – more than have been recorded at this point in any other year. It means that around 95 per cent of hospital beds in England are full.

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The Government published its Plan for Change this week, which aims for 92 per cent of patients needing planned treatment to be seen within 18 weeks.

In a speech setting out the plan, Sir Keir Starmer said meeting the waiting time target would show the service is "back on its feet".

Patricia Marquis, executive director for England for the Royal College of Nursing, said: "There is barely a spare bed in our NHS, with sky-high flu admissions and thousands stuck in hospital unable to be discharged due to a lack of capacity in social care.

"Before the cold weather hits, nursing staff and patients are desperately worried about what the coming weeks and months may bring."

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NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said the NHS is "busier than ever", warning of a "quad-demic" with rising hospital admissions for flu, Covid, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and norovirus.

The figures also show an average of 1,098 flu patients were in hospital beds nationally each day last week, including 39 in critical care. This is up sharply on the equivalent numbers for the same week in 2023, when the total was 221 with nine in critical care.

Meanwhile, norovirus cases have risen by 86 per cent nationally year-on-year, with an average of 756 patients with norovirus in hospital each day last week. A further 1,390 patients were in hospital with Covid and 142 children with RSV.

Professor Powis said: "The NHS is busier than it has ever been before heading into winter, with flu and norovirus numbers in hospital rising sharply – and we are still only at the start of December, so we expect pressure to increase and there is a long winter ahead of us."

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Professor Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency, added: "It’s clear that unless more eligible people come forward to receive their flu vaccine, we are likely to see more cases of flu, and more hospitalisations and deaths, than we saw last year.

"It is still early in the season, so there is still time to change the trajectory and reduce the impact of flu in our communities in time for Christmas but time is running out."

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