Hospitals ‘close to 
full’ claims Labour

Between April and June 2010, there were 110,568 general and acute beds in hospitals across England, but the figure declined to 104,011 between October to December 2012, the Daily Mail reported.

Hospital beds should not be cut while patients are enduring “trolley waits” of more than 12 hours, Shadow Health Minister Jamie Reed MP said.

Since the start of the year, 190 emergency patients have waited for 12 hours or more for a hospital bed to become free so they can be admitted.

“Hospitals are already dangerously close to full,” said Mr Reed.

“Older people, who are well enough to be discharged, are trapped in hospital because councils no longer have the money to support them at home.

“At bursting hospitals we’re seeing more and more patients left on trolleys in corridors waiting for a free bed – some for more than 12 hours. Ministers must not axe more beds whilst this remains the case.”

But health officials said that the bed occupancy rate has remained stable throughout the time period, with 84 per cent to 87 per cent of beds occupied.

More patients are being treated in the community and there is an increase in the number of people who are being treated as day patients, Health Minister Lord Howe said.

He added: “NHS England is freeing up cash to help ease the immediate pressures on A&E but long term, we need to look at how the NHS works as a whole, how it works with other areas such
as social care and how it deals
with an ageing population and more people with long term conditions. That is what we are doing.”