Winter ops cancelled due to PEH bed pressures
BED capacity at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital has reached over 90% on five occasions so far this year, meaning 12 elective operations have had to be cancelled.
Statistics revealed by Health & Social Care showed annual winter pressures have seen a high number of medically sick patients during January and February, meaning a higher demand for beds.
The five occasions has resulted in five 'red alerts', which has seen hospital staff taking all measures it could, including postponing elective surgery, to ensure it did not reach full capacity.
So far this year, 12 elective operations have been postponed because of winter pressures.
The majority of these postponements were due to a lack of availability of beds in the intensive care unit for post-op care.
Director of hospital services Jan Coleman said the winter months always saw an increase in occupancy.
During the first two months of 2017, the occupancy percentage peaked at 95%.
