King's Mill hospital bosses warn of worst ever winter

King's Mill Hospital is under extreme pressure due to high patient demand

Bosses at a Nottinghamshire hospital have warned this winter could be their toughest and worst ever.

On Monday, King's Mill Hospital, in Sutton in Ashfield, declared Opel 4 again meaning it was under extreme pressure due to high patient demand.

The hospital trust said a major challenge was discharging well patients due to a hold up in the health and social care system.

In September, a critical incident was declared across the county.

Bosses at the hospital, which is part of the Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, warned that an already difficult situation was likely to get worse in the colder months.

Patient Richard Thompson said staff at the hospital were "swamped"

Richard Thompson was one of many patients at the hospital waiting for a bed.

He said he had been in accident and emergency for 15 hours - 11 of them he said were spent waiting on a bed on a ward because the hospital was full.

"They're swamped," he said. "They need to have more beds available to get the pressures off, but they can't."

On the wards, 124 patients were judged medically fit to leave hospital, but were unable to sometimes due to delays in sorting out social care.

Patient John Metcalfe said it was "frustrating" there was a delay in organising his care at home

Patient John Metcalfe said it was "frustrating" waiting for his care visits at home to be organised before he could be discharged.

"I feel embarrassed to be taking up a bed that somebody else might have to have," he said.

Richard Clarkson, head of services at the hospital, said days were continuing to be "really challenging and busy".

"Long waits in A&E for beds," he said. "Something I've not experienced in my 21 years here."

Deputy sister Sabrina Mulling fears the cost of living crisis will also add to the pressures

There were also more than 70 Covid cases adding to the strain at the hospital.

Staff at the hospital also said they were expecting the cost of living crisis to have an impact on patient demand.

Sabrina Mulling, deputy sister said: "People won't have their heating on. There will be cold people, who will be hypothermic.

"People also won't be eating as much, so they'll be making difficult choices.

"So, we will see the effects of that."

Jo Wright said the hospital was under pressure more frequently than before the pandemic

Jo Wright, divisional general manager at the trust, said before the pandemic moving into the highest state of alert - Opel 4 - was a "rarity", but it was now more common.

"Typically we are now into an Opel 4 level probably three or four times a week," she said.

Dr David Selwyn said there were a "number of challenges" to face the NHS this winter

Dr David Selwyn, medical director at the trust, said he was "really concerned" about the pressure on the NHS.

"It's going to be the toughest winter we've faced," he said.

"The last two years have been very, very difficult for us, but this year we face a number of challenges.

"We've got the existing demand that we've seen that hasn't dropped off at all during the summer recess and we've got the threats of Covid waves and flu waves and respiratory syncytial virus for the children."

Bosses said A&E remained open for people to access as usual, despite the pressures on services.