Lincolnshire hospitals getting close to capacity even after adding extra beds
Issues like speeding up the discharge process are being looked at
Lincolnshire hospitals admit they're really stretched and are operating well over normal capacity heading into winter.
They're putting in extra beds although they're close to the absolute limit of how many they can add in.
They've also brought in a new system designed to speed up the discharge process.
The Trust in charge is also working with other health agencies to address issues like patients who have finished treatment but don't have accommodation or a care home ready to take them.
We spoke to Chief Executive of the Trust in Lincolnshire Andrew Morgan about the pressures this winter.
He told us: "It's not just about the number of patients attending."
"We're probably back to pre covid levels of attendances."
"The issue that we face is the complexity of the care people are needing."
"And how long they stay with us".
"What we're having to do at the minute is constantly open additional capacity to try and cope with the number of patients we've got".
"If we don't do that what happens in a hospital is that we end up with people waiting at the front door which is the A and E department, with patients waiting in the back of ambulances."
"We work really well with our system partners, I'm not looking to blame anyone."
"We have bits we need to get better at in the hospital."
"The issues that caused delay, sometimes it's about the complexity about the package of care sometimes it's about the availability of home care."
"The whole range of reasons why discharges can be delayed."