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NHS in Somerset 'more' stretched than before vaccine rollout

BBC Emma Young, a matron at the Critical Care Unit in YeovilBBC
Matron Emma Young said that staff sickness was also reducing capacity

NHS hospitals in Somerset say they are currently under "more" pressure than before the vaccine rollout.

Yeovil District Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton revealed their intensive therapy units (ITU) are "more full" than this time last year.

This pressure has combined with around 12% of the staff being off sick with Covid.

To add to this, a third of beds are being taken up by medically-fit patients who cannot be discharged.

Emma Young, a matron at the Critical Care Unit in Yeovil, told BBC Points West that "although this time last year we had significantly more Covid patients in ITU on ventilators" the unit "is more full now".

'Fastest rising'

She explained that NHS resources are "more challenged because of the degree of staff who are off sick at the moment".

She spoke as Somerset's Covid rates remained "a challenge" with cases among some of the "fastest rising" in the UK.

Dr Meridith Kane - medical director of Acute Hospitals in Somerset
Dr Meridith Kane said long waiting lists for operations are being delayed further

Earlier this month, North Somerset saw 692 cases per 100,000 people and South Somerset had 930 cases per 100,000 people.

According to NHS and Public Health England, the country average was 465 cases per 100,000 people.

The hospitals - run by the Yeovil Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust respectively - say they currently have around 200 admitted patients suffering with Covid.

Waiting lists

Dr Meridith Kane, medical director of Acute Hospitals in Somerset, said the current situation is "worse than it's ever been".

Staff at Yeovil Hospital
Staff at Yeovil Hospital are "more" stretched than during the pandemic, staff claim

She explained that with many patients sitting on long waiting lists, the NHS wants "to give them the right care".

Despite this she said that they "absolutely know that at the moment people can't come in for their planned operations".

She added: "Some people are having their operations cancelled once or twice."

And as Covid infections continue to rise, a lack of social care places had meant that around a "third of beds" across both sites are taken up by medically fit patients who cannot be discharged because they have nowhere to go.

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