Colchester: Beds crisis leaves patients stranded

They had to remain in the vehicles on Tuesday afternoon because there were no beds or even trolleys for them to use.

Eventually the patients were transferred into wheelchairs and sat in the casualty department awaiting treatment.

The situation - described by one nurse as chaos - had worsened after six patients were forced to spend Monday night on trolleys in corridors as there were no beds for them.

Last night medical registrars went round the wards discharging patients to create more space, which freed up about eight beds.

The nurse said: "It's not the worst it's been. It was like this at Christmas. It's a regular occurrence and it's getting ridiculous.

"Why don't they address the situation? They keep saying they are going to do something about it, but don't think long term."

She said one patient had waited for 22 hours in A and E before being transferred to a bed at 8pm on Tuesday night.

Ten people spent Monday night in the accident and emergency department and could not be found beds until other patients were discharged.

A hospital spokesman gave assurances the patients had been properly looked after.

He said the patients - including a 70-year-old woman taken to casualty with stomach pains - were all found beds by yesterday afternoon.

But a nurse, who does not wish to be named, said yesterday afternoon things were close to pandemonium.

All beds were full, there were no trolleys left for patients to use and at one point there were two ambulances queuing outside.

There were not even enough staff available to bring patients from the ambulances into the casualty department.

She said she was extremely disillusioned by the situation.

The hospital was unable to comment on the situation this morning, although on Tuesday said no single reason had contributed to the problems.

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