Enough patients to clear seven wards 'stuck' at Royal Cornwall Hospital

Hundreds of patients are occupying beds at Cornwall’s biggest hospital - despite being medically fit to leave.

More than 200 people are stuck inside Truro’s Royal Cornwall Hospital waiting to be discharged.

That is the equivalent of more than seven full hospital wards, up from 135 patients in September last year to 203 in February.

The figures were contained in a report by chief executive Steve Williamson, who said getting people home is the key to easing pressures.

He said: “This continues to be an absolute priority for our executive team and we aim to do everything we can with those awaiting discharge so they can get care in the most appropriate place.

“If we achieve that it will help with the challenges with the ambulance service and other departments as well.”

The majority of patients waiting to be discharged are waiting for beds in residential care homes to become available.

Others are waiting for care in their own homes to be arranged.

Mr Williamson added: “The pressure also impacts on our elective recovery, resulting in reduced capacity to schedule urgent and cancer surgery. 

“The number of people waiting for routine procedures has risen further, as have overall waiting times, although RCHT remains in a better position than many other trusts.”

The chief executive also paid tribute to the hard-working staff who are dealing with the current pressures.

Credit: Richard Whitehouse, Local Democracy Reporting Service