King's Lynn's Queen Elizabeth Hospital under pressure as a fifth of its beds are blocked

Dozens of bed-blocking patients are piling pressure on Lynn's hospital.

There are more than 100 medically fit patients awaiting discharge at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, equating to a fifth of its total beds, meaning some patients have nowhere else to go.

It comes after Penny Hipkin reported to St James Medical Practice's Patient Participation Group last month that the hospital was completely full and that recently 35 to 40 patients had to wait for A&E beds.

Numbers we obtained highlight the problems currently facing services - with significant percentages of beds being taken up by occupants with nowhere else to go.

Denise Smith, QEH's chief operating officer, said: “We work closely with our health and social care partners across the health and care system to ensure safe discharges for our patients who are ready to leave hospital.

“Consistent with our neighbouring acute hospitals in Norfolk and Waveney, we continue to experience a high demand for urgent and emergency care, and it is therefore vital that we focus on patient flow and discharge our patients when it is clinically safe to do so.

“We currently have over 100 patients who no longer need acute hospital care and whose care needs can be met at home or in the community.

"We continue to work closely with partners across community and social care to arrange timely discharge for these patients.”

And this week one Lynn News reader, Joe Callaghan, said he saw eight ambulances parked outside A&E with patients waiting to go inside as he sent shared a picture of the hospital's entrance, overrun with ambulances.

He also said a staff member counted 13 there last week.

Sarah Jones, deputy chief operating officer at QEH, said: “Consistent with the wider system and NHS, we are currently experiencing high levels of demand for urgent and emergency care services.

"We remain focused on delivering safe and timely care to our patients."

She said that patients can help by going to the right place.

"For non-life-threatening emergencies, people can book an appointment with their GP, visit a local pharmacy, attend a minor injuries unit or walk in centre," she added.

"They can also contact NHS 111 online or by phone if they need medical advice or not sure which service to access.”