Nottingham hospital black alert

Marching to save the NHS, 3.2.18, photo Mary Finch (Click to enlarge)

The continuing winter crisis in our hospitals has resulted in black alert status being declared at a Nottingham hospital for a whole week.

On 16 February there were 70 patients waiting for an emergency bed at the Queens Medical Centre.

A memo to staff at the Nottingham University Hospital Trust from Rachel Eddie, deputy chief operating officer, said: "The additional community beds that we opened in early 2018 are full. These pressures have been compounded by bed closures."

Mike Scott, spokesperson for Nottingham/Notts Keep Our NHS Public, said:

"Every time we think rock bottom has been reached, things get worse. The government, the trust and local councils are still pushing ahead with plans to cut 200 acute beds when patient numbers are going through the roof.

"This is complete madness. We call on the trust and councils to stop the plans to restructure local services and to ensure there is a sustainable excess of beds before the numbers are reduced."

The current crisis is disastrous for both staff and patients. It is clear that unless adequate funding is pumped in to the NHS now, more people will die needlessly and the government will have their blood on its hands.

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