Dorset Hospitals 'busier than ever' as NHS remains under pressure
Rising flu cases and a backlog caused by the pandemic are being blamed
Hospitals across Dorset say they're under extreme pressure this winter with some exceeding full capacity.
NHS Dorset’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Paul Johnson told us:
“I have never seen it as busy as it is now and I’ve been a doctor for thirty years.”
The British Medical Association (BMA) said staff are desperately trying to keep up with intense demand at hospitals with wards in Dorset using every available space, including corridors, to house the high volume of patients.
Typically, 90 to 95% of beds are occupied during winter, however, this year that figure has risen to 98% and 100%. Dr Johnson said:
“We just can’t get people cared for and through the hospital in a safe and efficient way.”
A spike in COVID-19, rising flu cases and a backlog of appointments caused by the pandemic are being blamed as the main contributing factors.
Dr Johnson noted that following the lockdown 'people are starting to mix much more so these infections are coming earlier in the year than we would expect' in turn, this is creating 'a higher rate of infections'.
More surges of patients with symptoms of flu are expected in the coming weeks, adding to the growing backlog of care.
The BMA reported that one in five ambulance patients waited more than an hour to be handed over to A&E teams across the UK, despite 95% of ambulance handovers being expected to be completed within 30 minutes.
In Dorset, the trend is no different with Paul Johnson telling us:
“If you need an ambulance as quickly as possible, for example, if you’ve got chest pain or you’re having a stroke ambulances’ ability to respond was far slower than it should have been.
"Instead of someone being with you within 15 minutes, it was half an hour to 40 minutes. Now that's not safe for people waiting at home and it's not the way that they want to be operating as an ambulance service.”
To cope with the demand some hospitals across Dorset are putting in extra beds in corridors, wards and side rooms because when ambulances arrive, it is paramount that they are able to 'get back on the road as quickly as possible'.
Residents in Dorset are being encouraged to think about what they can do to help, starting at the very first stage of illness like knowing when to seek help and when to just take some over-the-counter remedies or rest.
Paul Johnson said:
“The more you can do for yourself, then when you do need your GP they are more likely to have the time and capacity to support you.”