Patients waiting for beds at Peterborough City Hospital after rising numbers over Easter

Patients are continuing to wait for beds at Peterborough City Hospital after an increasing number of emergency admissions during the Easter break.

The Bretton-based hospital declared an internal major incident yesterday (Tuesday, April 7) after extra demand for beds from visitors to the Emergency Department.

We are working closely with our community colleagues to relieve the pressure.

At 9.30am this morning, 16 patients were in the Emergency Department waiting for beds, an increase on the 12 who were waiting yesterday afternoon.

A spokeswoman for the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Over the Easter bank holiday Peterborough City Hospital has seen an extra 30 patients per day causing pressure on the Trust.”

“As a result of greater levels of emergency admissions and fewer patients being discharged, the Trust declared an internal major incident at 9.30am on Tuesday April 7.

“We are working closely with our community colleagues to relieve the pressure though there are patients within our emergency department that we are unable to allocate a hospital bed to in a timely way and we remain under sustained pressure.

“Unless it is an emergency we encourage people to Choose Well by seeing their pharmacist, GP or the Minor Illness and Injury Unit.”

Asked whether the Trust had measures in place to counter expected higher demand over Easter, the spokeswoman added: “We facilitated as many discharges as possible prior to the bank holiday weekend, but due to the number of patients who came through the doors at the weekend we are still experiencing pressures.”

It was reported last month that health bosses were drawing up plans to ensure services were not swamped by a surge in patients during the four day Easter holidays.

It was also revealed last week that a primary care presence, such as a GP, might be brought into the hospital during bank holidays to help cope with demand.

A major incident was also recorded at the hospital in January.