Investigation after body of patient found in the grounds of Pinderfields Hospital

Police said they received a report shortly after 6pm on Saturday, January 4, that a patient had left the hospital while receiving treatment.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "A search operation was conducted of the hospital and surrounding area and shortly after midnight, the body of a man in his 60s was found in the grounds of the hospital.

"The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner."

David Melia, the director of nursing and quality at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust which runs Pinderfields said: “The trust is working with West Yorkshire Police who are investigating the tragic incident involving a patient at Pinderfields over the weekend, so we are unable to comment further at this stage."

However, he said that high volumes of people have been heading to the hospital, particularly A&E, equating to an extra 100 patients a day compared to similar periods last year.

He added: “This puts significant pressure on staff, who are working extremely hard to keep our patients safe and give the best possible level of care despite the additional demand on them.

“We will always do our best to help everyone who attends our A&E departments.

"However, we would ask the public to help us by thinking carefully when you need medical treatment. A&E departments are for emergencies only. For minor illnesses, your pharmacy can provide advice and you can also go to your GP, with many GP surgeries now offering evening and weekend appointments.

“It’s really important people choose the right place to go, so we can ensure our A&E staff are there for those who really need them.

"If anyone is unsure where the best place to seek help might be, please ring 111 as they will be able to advise.”