COLCHESTER hospital is so busy it has been claimed its chief executive rolled up his sleeves and wiped clean a trolley bed to help out.

The allegations were made by hospital worker, Peter Hillbourne, who took to Facebook after a 12-hour shift to say: “Today saw senior management pushing beds, wiping bums, etc.”

The comments come as Colchester Hospital reported “major pressures” due to unprecedented levels of demand in recent weeks.

Trust spokesman Mark Prentice said chief executive Nick Hulme, who regularly visits the A&E department, confirmed he had wiped clean a trolley.

His colleagues in HR had also photocopied some patient records.

However Mr Prentice said: “Categorically, [there are] no stories of managers delivering direct patient care and there has been no appeal internally for non-clinical staff to help out in that way.”

The hospital confirmed it expected a period of “intensity” to continue. A limited number of non-emergency operations have been postponed and patients have faced delays in waiting for beds.

More serious procedures like cancer treatment have carried on as normal.

Health bosses have admitted some patients have not “had the best possible experience” in recent weeks.

Dr Barbara Buckley, managing director of the Colchester University Hospital Foundation NHS Trust, said the ambulance service and GPs have suffered similarly.

She said: “The hospital has been running at such high bed occupancy levels that some patients have had to spend longer than is ideal in the Emergency Department while waiting for beds to become available.

“We are seeing a higher than predicted number of very ill patients.”

Figures published by NHS England on its website show the hospital treats around 170 to 250 patients a day, with 83 to 127 of them classed as emergencies.

Colchester General Hospital has more than 500 ‘core’ beds available but reported it had no ‘escalation’ beds available for several days last month.

Dr Buckley said: “We have been doing all that we can to minimise internal delays by, for example, working to reduce waiting lists for X-rays and blood tests.

“Our plans are more robust than ever before but because of unprecedented levels of demand, the situation remains challenging.”

The trust is rated three on the Operational Pressures Escalation Levels scale, which means the system is experiencing “major pressures compromising patient flow”.

The hospital has reminded people to use A&E only for serious or life-threatening emergencies only.

Alternatives include pharmacies, calling 111, the walk-in centre in Turner Road and the minor injuries units in Clacton and Harwich.