Covid-19 patients in South West hospitals have almost doubled since the start of January

Dorset County Hospital's bed occupancy figures have increased by over 200% this month

The number of hospital beds occupied by Covid-19 patients has increased by 86 per cent since New Year’s Day in the South West.

On Friday 1 January, there were 1,199 beds occupied by Covid patients - but as of Tuesday 26 January it had risen to 2,236.

The data comes from the Government’s weekly coronavirus admissions and beds publication, released on Thursday 28 January.

A shortage of beds is one of the reasons planned operations have been cancelled Credit: PA

Cornwall Partnership experienced a 980 per cent increase of bed occupancy in the period, with 54 Covid patients compared to five at the start of the year.

Elsewhere, the number of beds used have more than doubled across 11 other hospitals, including University Hospitals Dorset which now has 378 occupied.

On January 26, Great Western Hospital announced they had "expanded ICU services into some of our theatre space so that we can create 18 additional ICU beds."

Both the Devon Partnership and Northern Devon Healthcare have fared better in this time with the number of Covid-19 patients in beds decreasing by up to 60 per cent.

NHS Trusts’ bed occupancy figures and percentage changes since January 1:

  • Cornwall Partnership – 54 (980% increase)

  • Dorset Healthcare University – 79 (229% increase)

  • Dorset County Hospital – 80 (208% increase)

  • Royal Cornwall Hospitals – 89 (178% increase)

  • Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership – 30 (173% increase)

  • Royal United Hospitals Bath – 108 (170% increase)

  • University Hospitals Plymouth – 112 (167% increase)

  • University Hospitals Dorset – 378 (166% increase)

  • Torbay and South Devon – 42 (163% increase)

  • North Bristol – 196 (148% increase)

  • Salisbury – 137 (140% increase)

  • Somerset – 125 (116% increase)

  • Great Western Hospitals – 112 (72% increase)

  • University Hospitals Bristol and Weston – 223 (34% increase)

  • Royal Devon and Exeter – 80 (23% increase)

  • Yeovil District Hospital – 62 (22% increase)

  • Gloucestershire Hospitals – 190 (13% decrease)

  • Devon Partnership – 3 (25% decrease)

  • Gloucestershire Health and Care – 20 (41% decrease)

  • Northern Devon Healthcare Trust – 8 (60% decrease)

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