Cumbria A&E patients travel 75 miles to Hexham
Last updated at 11:51, Thursday, 21 March 2013
Patients have been transferred to hospital in Hexham after north Cumbria A&E departments struggled to deal with an influx of people.
The News & Star was told how a lack of beds at both the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven and Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle meant staff were forced to move some patients to the Northumbrian hospital – 75 miles away from Whitehaven – on Tuesday night.
A spokeswoman for North Cumbria University NHS Hospitals Trust, which runs both sites, said the A&E departments had once again seen a rise in the number of people attending.
“Both hospitals have been busy over the last 24 hours but it cannot be attributed to any particular reason,” she added. “We ensure that all patients are cared for well and receive appropriate clinical assessment before any patients are transferred.”
While higher numbers of people attending A&E are expected during the winter months, this is not the first time the trust has been forced to transfer patients for ongoing treatment.
Last month the News & Star’s sister paper The Cumberland News revealed how one man had been forced to wait on a trolley at the Cumberland Infirmary for 10 hours until a bed was available.
In December “unprecedented” numbers of attendees, coupled with the winter vomiting bug, meant hospital bosses took the decision to suspend all non-emergency elective surgery in an attempt to free up beds.
The trust is once again reminding people to ;‘Choose Well’. This is a campaign being run across the county and is supported by NHS doctors, nurses and other staff.
It aims to ensure that people who need advice and treatment for common complaints can get fast and expert care and relieve the pressure on both A&E departments and 999.
For more information call NHS Direct for advice on 0845 4647, stop off at your local pharmacy or visit www.cumbria.nhs.uk/yourhealth/choosewell
First published at 11:36, Thursday, 21 March 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
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