Ealing Hospital Under Pressure

Trusts asks staff to clear beds to make way for more patients

Staff at Ealing and Northwick Park Hospitals have been told to send patients home early to make room for more.

An e-mail sent out last week by London North West Healthcare Trust said emergency pressures at both hospitals was 'exceptional' and given the high demand was unlikely to subside. The email asked for 130 beds to be released at Northwick Park and 65 at Ealing representing a 30% increase in discharges.

Medical Director Dr Charles Cayley told staff: '' It is absolutely essential we carry this out to make sure our hospitals remain safe.''

However, Oliver New, chair of campaign group Ealing Save Our NHS claims figures from health campaigner Colin Standfield (using NHS data) show demand is no different than previous years:

''Kicking patients out early is totally and utterly wrong.  NHS North West London should admit their policies are wrong, dump the decision to close Ealing Hospital A&E and restore the much needed A&Es at Central Middlesex and Hammersmith  Hospitals.  They should also re-open A&E facilities for children at Ealing.    All of those A&Es were there because they were needed and they are still needed today.  If they are brave enough to do this, they would also boost morale of health staff, which is currently at rock bottom.''

There has been widespread reporting of the crisis faced by A&E departments with The British Red Cross recently stating that Britain's NHS was facing a “humanitarian disaster.

A spokesperson for the Trust said:

''This type of operational communication with our staff is an appropriate and timely response to the additional pressures on our services over the Christmas d New Year period.

''Patients are never sent home earlier than they should be. They are discharged in a safe and timely manner that is appropriate for them.

''Like other hospitals across the country, we are facing additional pressures. Despite this, our hospital and community staff continue to do an outstanding job ensuring patients receive high quality care in a safe environment.''

11th January 2017