NHS: The hospitals with busiest wards on Merseyside

England’s hospitals are dangerously busy, trust leaders have warned. Many hospitals are nearing breaking point, with two trusts running out of beds entirely - including one in the North West.

NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, has warned this festive season will be one of the “darkest to date” for the health system.

More patients were also staying longer in hospital because of more severe illness and delayed discharges, putting a massive strain on the entire health and care system, she said.

According to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, hospitals are considered to be too busy if more than 85% of their available general and acute beds are occupied by patients. After this, patient care is thought to be compromised.

Health bosses are expecting an influx of patients after recent industrial action by nurses, ambulance workers and paramedics may have led some to delay care and recent figures form NHS England show occupancy rates are already high.

Nine in 10 acute hospitals had more than 85% of their beds filled in the week ending December 18.

What do the figures show for hospitals in Merseyside?

• From 12 to 18 December, Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust was the busiest Trust in Merseyside, and the second busiest in the North West, with 98.6% of beds taken and just five beds remaining.
• St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was Merseyside’s second busiest Trust, with 97.6% of beds occupied, and 18 beds remaining.
• Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust had 1,477 of its 1,551 beds occupied, with an occupancy of 95.3%.
• Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust saw 94.5% of beds occupied, with 43 remaining.
• The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust had 94.% of beds taken, with six remaining.
• Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 82.1% of beds occupied, with 27 beds remaining.
• Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust had 76.1% of beds taken and 52 remaining.
• Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust had the most beds available, with 53.6% taken and 11 remaining.

What has been said?

Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive at NHS Providers, said a surge in flu cases had “impacted bed occupancy, which continues to be above levels considered safe”.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: “The NHS has prepared for winter extensively with more beds, extra call handlers as well as the expansion of falls response services, control centres and respiratory hubs, but with flu hospitalisations and Covid cases on the rise, the best things you can do to protect yourself is to get vaccinated if you’re eligible.”