Seriously Ill Patients Stuck Outside Greater Manchester Hospitals for Over an Hour
Patients in Greater Manchester face long waits for hospital admission as winter pressures peak
Greater Manchester, NHS, Flu, Covid-19, RSV, Norovirus
Greater Manchester: It’s been a tough time for patients lately. Hundreds have been stuck in ambulances for over an hour, just waiting to get into hospitals. This has been especially bad over Christmas.
Can you believe that one in every 14 ambulance arrivals had to wait more than an hour? It’s wild! Hospitals are really feeling the strain with flu cases on the rise.
Just yesterday, Royal Bolton Hospital had to bring back face masks to help control the flu spread. Stepping Hill Hospital is also under serious pressure in its A&E department.
With the cold snap hitting, spare hospital beds are in short supply. It’s led to overcrowding in some of the busiest A&Es in the area.
The NHS is calling this winter a ‘quad-demic’ with Covid-19, flu, RSV, and norovirus all making things worse. They’re saying this could be the worst flu season ever.
Last week, there were nearly 4,500 patients in hospitals across England with flu. That’s a huge jump from last year. Greater Manchester is seeing even more cases this time around.
On Christmas Day alone, over 4,100 people were in the hospital with flu. The numbers peaked just a few days later, which is pretty alarming.
In Greater Manchester, the average number of flu patients in hospitals has nearly tripled compared to last year. It’s a real struggle for the healthcare system.
Doctors and nurses are saying that the wait for a bed can stretch to days. Some patients, including the elderly, have been left waiting in A&E for over 20 hours.
In the week ending December 29, there were over 5,400 ambulance arrivals in Greater Manchester. Sadly, 400 of those patients had to wait over an hour to be admitted.
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust had the worst delays, with 13% of ambulance arrivals waiting too long. It’s a tough situation for everyone involved.
Even though Greater Manchester is facing challenges, the situation is still better than in the rest of England. The average wait time here is shorter than the national average.
Nationally, over 12,000 patients were stuck in ambulances for more than an hour during Christmas. The NHS is really feeling the pressure.
Professor Julian Redhead from the NHS has pointed out that flu cases are skyrocketing, and they’re doing everything they can to manage the situation.
Colin Scales from NHS Greater Manchester mentioned that January usually sees a spike in demand for services. They’re working hard to ensure patients get the care they need.
It’s a tough time, but the NHS is committed to providing safe and high-quality care. They’re urging everyone to follow their guidance and seek help when needed.