Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, seeking extra beds for patients this winter

Hospitals in Norfolk, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Lynn, are seeking out extra beds for discharging patients this winter.

Bed blocking has been a long running issue in the county’s hospitals, with around one in five patients stuck at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in August.

Bed blockers is a term to describe patients who are far enough along in their recoveries that they no longer need hospital treatment, but can not be discharged until care services can be arranged, either in the patient's home where domicillary care is needed or until a care home placement can be found.

While the county’s hospitals are already in a precarious state, the situation is expected to get worse, with winter bringing more patients and pressure.

Now the NHS in Norfolk is looking for nursing and residential providers of care to step in to assist.

The spaces would have to be for people aged 65 and over for short-term periods for discharges from Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn and James Paget University Hospital.

Providers who are interested in stepping in must be able to offer a minimum of five beds and able to safely support people who have a high complexity of needs, including those patients living with dementia, high risk of falls and prone to wandering.

The beds will be commissioned to providers next month from Saturday, October 1 this year until Friday, March 31 in 2023.

There is a finite budget for the initiative which has not been finalised.