County Hospitals Anticipate 125-Bed Shortfall Ahead of Winter

Hospitals within a specific county aim to mitigate a projected deficit of 125 beds through the accelerated launch of a “step-down” facility. Kettering General Hospital (KGH) and Northampton General Hospital (NGH) expressed apprehensions in the latest board report issued by the NHS trust overseeing their operations. Furthermore, statistical information indicated that KGH recorded the second highest volume of handover delays nationwide for ambulance patients awaiting transfer to Emergency Department (ED) teams for over 30 minutes. NGH was positioned fifth, with a rate of 70.8%, significantly above England’s average of 36%. On November 19, a critical incident was declared subsequent to three weeks characterized by “significant winter pressures.” This critical incident stemmed from elevated demand for services, severe limitations in capacity, strain on Emergency Departments, and substantial demand for ambulance services provided by the East Midlands Ambulance Service. In response to these challenges affecting both hospitals, KGH announced the opening of Spinneyfield’s second floor, a “step-down” facility that contributes 60 supplementary beds. Both KGH and NGH detailed strategies within their winter plan aimed at addressing the anticipated 125-bed shortfall. These strategies encompass the re-establishment of 18 beds in KGH’s Thomas Moore Ward, the conversion of an office at NGH into a 21-bed medical ward, and the addition of 26 beds on NGH’s Spinney top floor. The report further stated the hospital’s commitment to undertaking all possible actions to guarantee that its teams could provide safe patient care. The aforementioned board papers are scheduled for discussion at an upcoming board meeting. For updates on Northamptonshire news, refer to BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.