19/03/2015

'Major Incident' Declared At Two Hospitals Over Bed Shortages

A bed shortage at hospitals in north Cumbria has led the NHS Trust to declare a "major incident".

All non-emergency operations at Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary and Whitehaven's West Cumberland Hospital have been cancelled until Friday, when the situation will be reviewed. All emergency patients are being diverted to other hospitals.

It is understood that "weeks of consistently high admissions" has caused the situation.

Dr Jeremy Rushmer, medical director at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Our prime concern is making sure we can continue to provide safe care for patients and this becomes increasingly difficult when our hospitals reach capacity.

"Given the continued and significant pressures our teams have faced over recent months, our hospitals are now struggling to admit any more patients until we can get patients flowing through the system and into appropriate community settings or home with the right package of care."

(MH/CD)

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