NHS to use Bristol hotel to help ease pressure on hospitals
A "Temporary Care Facility" is being created for people who are fit enough to leave hospital but can't go home
Last updated 22nd Dec 2021
A hotel in Bristol is being commandeered by the NHS in a bid to ease pressure on hospitals.
The news has been announced in an open letter from bosses at the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which also thanks the public for efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
It comes after repeated reports of late, both locally and across the country, that hospitals are struggling to cope with demand.
To help deal with this a Temporary Care Facility is opening at the Bristol Hotel, for patients who are fit enough to leave hospital but cannot, for whatever reason, go home.
It will provide around the clock support seven days a week in "a welcoming atmosphere", the letter says, in the hope it will improve ambulance response times.
"Live-in staff will provide 24/7 support for 30 individuals at any one time," a statement sent to us by the CCG reads.
"Everyone will have their own en-suite room facilities and access to communal areas where appropriate."
Back in November figures from NHS England revealed wait times for serious incidents are nearly three times as long as they should be and in response the South West Ambulance Service blamed "systemic problems" but singled out one of them as problems freeing up beds by discharging patients.
More recently on December 2, Robert Woolley, who is chief executive of The University Hospitals Bristol and Weston Trust (UHBWT) apologised for delays and appealed for the public to play its part by accessing care wisely, but now NHS bosses are taking a proactive step to try and help solve the problem.
"All our services are incredibly busy right now, and rising rates of Omicron will add further strain in the coming weeks," the open letter from the CCG reads.
"In response to these extraordinary times, we are taking a number of steps to reduce the pressure and ensure safe and effective care for everyone."
As well as opening the Temporary Care Facility, the CCG says it is also expanding the 111 service to offer "more clinical assessment", both over the phone and online.
The letter also says the local Covid-19 booster programme is being expanded, with 170,000 appointments taking place in GP practices alone.
Dr Peter Brindle, Medical Director at the Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We don’t want people to be in a hospital bed any longer than they need to be, and the opening of the new care facility is one of the steps we have taken to support people’s ongoing recovery in a more appropriate environment.
“Like every area of the country, we are facing significant service pressures at the moment.
"This facility is designed to improve flow through our hospitals – supporting people to recover from their hospital stay in a more appropriate setting, and ensuring hospital beds are there for people with acute medical needs.
"It should also improve ambulance response times.
“As a health and care partnership, we are focussed on making the best use of our resources and providing the right care for people at what is a very challenging time.
"We will be continuously reviewing the service, including taking on board the experience and feedback of people receiving care there.”