With patients in huge queues enduing 'really poor experiences' at some hospitals, Greater Manchester's top nurse has issued a personal plea for help. Mandy Philbin, chief nurse for NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, says the health and care system is currently 'really intense' - and there is no easy way to fix it.
It comes as hospitals in Greater Manchester have been 'fluctuating' between different alert levels - while Northern Care Alliance has tonight (December 29) declared a 'business continuity incident' due to pressure at A&E. Across Greater Manchester, around 98% of hospital beds are full, including 12% occupied with Covid-positive patients - and Ms Philbin is pleading with the public for support.
"The system is really intense at the moment," Ms Philbin told the Manchester Evening News . "Your care will be managed if you need to see health or social care services, but what's difficult is the amount of time that people are actually waiting, the amount of people that are actually going into A&E."
