The NHS has blamed delays in discharging patients for mounting pressure on its services, as hospitals in Greater Manchester continue to report huge wait times and 'very high' numbers of people attending its emergency departments.
Greater Manchester Integrated Care has confirmed to the M.E.N that the pressure from already high levels of bed occupancy and the large number of people presenting to A&E across the region continues to be worsened by the reported delays in discharging people who are well enough to leave to go home or into community services.
This comes after more than a year of high bed occupancy as a result of delays to discharge in Greater Manchester, which has seen medically fit people taking up around one-fifth of the total beds in the region.
On Monday, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust reported wait times in emergency departments exceeding seven hours for patients at its peak, with Stockport NHS Foundation Trust announcing that an average of around 330 patients were presenting at A&E last week, with high numbers continuing into this week, with ambulances pictured lining up outside of Stepping Hill.
READ MORE Ambulances line up outside hospital as A&E departments warn of SEVEN HOUR waits in region
The Manchester Evening News previously reported how NHS data revealed that more than 2,200 people had to wait over 12 hours in A&E departments in Greater Manchester last month. A total of 109,246 people attended emergency departments across the region region in September, with 2,236 of those waiting over 12 hours before being admitted.
Speaking about the recent wait times, Steve Dixon, Chief Delivery Officer at NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, said: “The levels of bed occupancy in our hospitals and the number of people attending emergency departments are currently very high.
"Hospitals are reporting delays to discharging people to their own home or community service, who are well enough to leave hospital, which increases the pressure on services yet further. Essential NHS services, however, remain open and are available for anyone that needs them, and we would encourage those who require urgent medical help to continue to come forward.
“COVID-19 continues to circulate in Greater Manchester communities and any rise in the number of people in hospital with the virus will put pressure on already stretched NHS services. The COVID-19 vaccine is the best protection against becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 and passing the virus on to others and we urge everyone to ensure they are fully vaccinated by visiting www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine or ringing 119.
“There is also the increased risk of catching flu this year so eligible people should get their jab when it is offered to them. The public can also help us manage this high demand by seeking help from the most appropriate health services, using NHS 111 online for 24/7 advice about the most appropriate care for your needs and only attending emergency departments if seriously ill or injured.”
Speaking on Monday, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), said they were experiencing a 'high demand' to services in the emergency department across the trust. Stockport NHS Foundation Trust warned of 'extremely busy' A&E wards with a high level of demand continuing from last week.
The NHS has been plagued by high bed occupancy for more than a year now. Frequently, NHS bosses and staff on the ground alike have said the reason is a large proportion of patients stuck in beds who are unable to be discharged.
For months, the figure of patients ready to be discharged has stood at around one-fifth of all the beds in Greater Manchester - hovering from the late hundreds to 1,000 out of a rough total of 5,000, according to a senior NHS source.
Patients are left in scarce hospital beds as they wait for even harder to come by spaces in social care. The sector is chronically understaffed, meaning that there are often not enough carers to give patients the support they need in moving back home.
There are also not enough care home beds for people to move into from hospital. Patients are therefore unable to move out of hospital, either to their own home or to a care facility, because the lack of social care staff means discharge cannot be done safely.
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