High hospital occupancy causing spread of bugs

Hospitals across Scotland are experiencing high levels of demand and a shortage of beds as the prolonged winter weather puts pressure on services.

• Over-occupancy was said to be one of the main causes of the novovirus spreading

• There have been calls for more action to combat the ‘boarding out’ of patients

Some NHS sites are at almost 100 per cent bed occupancy levels, leaving staff under pressure to find room for new patients.

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) has warned that high occupancy rates and patients having to be moved between wards to make extra room increased the risk of harmful bacteria spreading around hospitals.

Yesterday health boards contacted by The Scotsman said the effects of the winter weather stretching into spring meant demand for beds remained high following rising levels of demand first seen in December.

The Scotland Patients Association warned that the lack of spare beds risked patients being left on trollies waiting for a space to be found and said better planning was needed to cope with demand.

The RCPE pointed out that occupancy rates above 85 per cent were believed to cause problems for patient care.

Around Scotland yesterday boards reported high bed usage, though stressed the picture could change very quickly.

In NHS Lothian, St John’s Hospital in Livingston had a bed occupancy rate of 92 per cent, while Edinburgh Royal Infirmary stood at 98 per cent and the city’s Western General at 99 per cent.

Dr David Farquharson, medical director at NHS Lothian, said: “This is always a busy time of year for our hospitals and the higher prevalence of winter illnesses has exacerbated the situation.”

NHS Forth Valley said bed occupancy levels for general acute wards at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert were currently around 95 to 100 per cent.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran said as of yesterday morning Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock was at 93 per cent occupancy and Ayr Hospital was at full capacity.

In NHS Highland, Belford Hospital in Fort William had 94.5 per cent occupancy, Raigmore Hospital had 86 per cent occupancy and Caithness General had 37 per cent occupancy.

NHS Fife said bed occupancy was currently below 100 per cent but above 90 per cent.

“NHS Fife, like other boards, has experienced a period of increased numbers of emergency medical admissions,” director of acute services George Cunningham said.

Other boards were unable to provide figures, but admitted demand on beds had been high.

Margaret Watt, chair of the Scotland Patients Association said: “There is no room to manoeuvre and there are no spare beds. It is shocking and degrading when patients are left lying in trollies or sat on seats waiting to get a bed in the hospital.”