Supporting the urgent requirement for more hospital beds and operating theatres

The NHS is facing serious problems due to a lack of beds, staff and operating theatres, resulting into one in seven NHS hospital operations being cancelled just before they are due to take place. These delays mean those awaiting surgery are becoming frustrated and suffer a longer period of pain.

It has also been disclosed in The British Journal of Anaesthesia, that patients are often denied surgery at the last moment because patients entering hospitals through A&E need more urgent attention.

The study also found that patients based on high-dependency and intensive care units are three times more likely to have their operations cancelled due to requiring extra medical support as they recover, and needing the bed for a longer period of time.

These cancellations are an NHS-wide problem and impact the health and welfare of tens of thousands of patients in the UK every year.

The NHS is also under strain following years of relative underinvestment, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and strike action by frontline staff over pay. Many patients are being treated in corridors, while ambulances queue outside hospitals to hand over patients to emergency wards, as doctors and nurses struggle to discharge patients amid the staff and bed shortages.

Health services statistics show that more than nine in 10 hospital beds were occupied in the week running up to New Year, with 13,000 beds a day taken up by patients who were medically fit to be discharged. Figures also revealed that in the second week of January, 95.7% of beds in acute and general wards in England were occupied, the second-highest figure ever recorded.

This suggests the NHS remains under significant pressure. However, they are doing all they can to help the situation by rolling out extra beds and providing a 24/7 control centre to track and manage demand.

It was announced earlier last month that there will be dozens of new surgical spaces created, helping the treatment of hundreds of thousands more patients. This ambitious ‘catch-up plan’ is the biggest in NHS history and is estimated to include 780,000 additional surgeries, outpatient appointments provided at 37 new surgical hubs, 10 expanded existing hubs and 81 new theatres dedicated to elective care.

Our dedicated and experienced Healthcare team can help alleviate these pressures by delivering quality refurbishment and maintenance works that support long-term property investment plans. We are experienced at delivering works within live hospital environments, providing a bespoke service that puts patient wellbeing and collaborative working at the heart of our projects.

Learn more about how our Healthcare service can help you.