Leeds hospital beds still near maximum occupancy as NHS staff battle Covid and winter pressures

Data from NHS England shows that 96.3 per cent of general and acute beds at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust were occupied between January 17-23.

That's up 5.36 per cent from the previous week, when 91.4 per cent of beds were occupied.

Hospitals are considered to be too busy if more than 85 per cent of their available general and acute beds are occupied by patients.

General and acute beds are for people admitted from A&E, by their GP, or who are recovering post-surgery. It excludes beds in intensive care, maternity and mental health wards.

In the seven days to December 19, 99.1 per cent of beds at the Trust were occupied.

An NHS England boss said the pressure on healthcare is still "intense" as hospitals deal with staff isolation amid high coronavirus infection rates.

Covid-related absences of NHS staff at hospitals in England are continuing to fall, but levels are still higher than before Christmas, according to the data from NHS England.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages several of the city's hospitals including St James's and Leeds General Infirmary, had 1,582 of its staff absent in the week to January 23 - with 714 absences due to Covid-19.

Staff absences are down 13.28 per cent from the previous week, but higher than in the week to December 26, when 1,461 staff at the Trust were off work.

-> Leeds care home boss warns sector still 'hit hard' by Covid as rules relaxed

NHS England’s national medical director Professor Stephen Powis said: "While it is positive to see more NHS staff back at work, pressure on the NHS is still intense, having seen the busiest week for ambulances taking patients to A&E since the start of December – up almost 2,000 on the week before last – all while pushing to deliver as many routine checks and procedures as possible, including vital diagnostic checks.

“Our staff have already had what feels like a long winter, but despite everything they have had to contend with, they continue to step up as they always do; answering thousands more 111 calls last week than the seven days before, continuing to care for thousands of covid patients and maintaining non-covid procedures, and working closely with colleagues in social care to get people out of hospital safely.

“The public can help us by coming forward for their lifesaving covid vaccines, and as has been the case throughout the pandemic, if you have a health problem, please go to 111 online and call 999 when it is a life threatening condition – the NHS is here for you”.

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