Lincolnshire hospitals near capacity as Covid admissions rise

Boston's Pilgrim Hospital is run by United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust

Lincolnshire's hospital beds are almost entirely full, health bosses have said.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT) said its sites in Lincoln, Boston and Grantham were "getting up to 100% occupancy".

Meanwhile, North East Lincolnshire's director of public health Geoff Barnes said services are experiencing an "unprecedented demand" for care.

The government has previously warned it could introduce restrictions under its 'Plan B' to protect the NHS.

Andrew Morgan, chief executive of ULHT, told BBC Radio Lincolnshire the trust currently has 77 Covid-positive patients.

The figure was "a bit higher" than it has been, "which adds to the complication of how we isolate", he said.

However, he said the trust was doing "everything possible" to avoid people catching the virus while in hospital.

"I wouldn't want people to be concerned that they're suddenly going to catch Covid here, it can happen, we do everything possible to avoid it, but I would hope people are not worried," he said.

ULHT admitted 59 Covid-positive patients in the week to 31 October, according to data analysed by the BBC, up from 31 in the previous week,

What is Plan B?

The government has consistently said there are no plans for another lockdown in England.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid told MPs in September that the government could bring in extra measures in England - "Plan B" - to protect the NHS from "unsustainable pressure":

The restrictions listed under Plan B are:

• Communicating clearly and urgently to the public that the level of risk has increased, and the need to behave more cautiously

• Introducing mandatory Covid passports

• Making face coverings compulsory again

• Advising people to work from home

Mr Javid said on 20 October that there were still no current plans to bring in Plan B, although he warned that restrictions were more likely if vaccine take-up faltered.

Geoff Barnes, director of public health for North East Lincolnshire, has urged people to get vaccinated against coronavirus

Meanwhile, North East Lincolnshire's Director for Public Health Mr Barnes said: "Hospitals in our area are already under huge pressure as we head into winter, and there's a real risk of a big surge in patients over the next four months," he said.

"The demand is likely to be enormous and unprecedented."

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "At this stage, more government restrictions are quite possible - perhaps a 50/50 chance.

"We are only just into November, and most hospitals are already facing enormous burdens. If it gets much worse, the government will likely look at Plan B in our area."