Concerns raised about Liverpool hospital bed pressures

A committee meeting heard about various winter challenges the city's hospitals are facing

A quarter of people in Liverpool's hospitals are taking up beds and do not need to be there, a health committee heard.

Liverpool city councillors and officials have been told about issues surrounding delayed discharges.

It comes as the NHS health prepares for the usual challenges over winter.

Health boss Carole Hill told the Liverpool health and wellbeing board about problems at the Royal Liverpool, Aintree and Broadgreen.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said that currently 25% of people in beds at Liverpool hospitals are "medically fit" yet have nowhere else to go, heaping pressures on the health and social care system.

Ms Hill, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside associate director of strategy, integration and partnerships, said the continued stay by some who can be discharged is "not good for them or the system".

She outlined how the NHS hopes to ease the strain, including front door screening of people at emergency departments and an enhanced urgent community response.

An emphasis will also be placed on providing "hospital level care" through virtual wards in people's homes in a non-emergency.

All of the city's hospitals are under pressure

The committee was told these alternative options will free up much-needed beds.

Ms Hill said various issues were also challenges for the city's health service, including increasing cases of coronavirus.

She said the NHS is also "seeing the impact of the economy and the cost of living crisis" which is impacting the "health of vulnerable communities".

Prof Matt Ashton, Liverpool director of public health, said: "The cost of living crisis will be with us for a while and this will no doubt put pressure on the NHS.

"We will continue to push measures out and we need to try and make people aware before they need these services."

A report considered by the committee by the health protection board said: "There are multiple threats to health over winter including infectious diseases, cost of living pressures and cold weather. 

"Many Liverpool people are already vulnerable to ill-health due to pre-existing health conditions, poverty, debt, fuel poverty and other social determinants of health."

The report said Liverpool City Council had established an internal winter planning coordination group to monitor and tackle problems as they emerge.