100% of local hospital day-beds occupied over last three months

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has slammed the government for putting the NHS under "extreme and unsustainable pressure" as NHS data released today shows that the occupancy rate during the last quarter for day-only beds at local hospitals was 100%. Tim is calling for an emergency NHS funding boost to be announced in the upcoming budget.

The data, covering the quarter ending on the 31st December 2016, shows that there are 119 day beds, covering general and acute care, available at hospitals run by the Morecambe Bay NHS Trust. However, the occupancy rate of these beds was 100% for the last quarter, compared to 86% nationally.

The recommended safe level of bed occupancy is 85%. This recommendation is designed to avoid delays in getting treatment and minimise the risk of infection.

For overnight beds, there are 690 general and acute beds available across the Morecambe Bay Hospitals, with an occupancy rate of 83%.

The Morecambe Bay NHS Trust runs the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, the Furness General Hospital and the Westmorland General Hospital.

Tim said: "These figures are simply shocking, and show the extreme and unsustainable pressure which the government is putting our NHS under. There is no way the Trust can function when 100% of day beds are occupied for a period of time this long. This is well above the recommended rate. Dedicated NHS staff work hard caring for patients, but the system simply can't carry on like this.

"This data reinforces what patients and NHS staff alike already know - that our health service simply needs more money. The government must announce an emergency cash injection in the upcoming budget."