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Welsh NHS: low critical care bed care warning Welsh NHS: 'Lowest level' of critical emergency beds
(about 2 hours later)
Hospitals in Wales have the lowest number of beds in Europe for patients with acute life-threatening illnesses.Hospitals in Wales have the lowest number of beds in Europe for patients with acute life-threatening illnesses.
Inappropriate use of these beds also contributed to cancelled operations and patients leaving critical care when it was unsafe, according to a report.
Wales has 3.2 critical care beds per 100,000 people, compared to four in England and a European average of 11.Wales has 3.2 critical care beds per 100,000 people, compared to four in England and a European average of 11.
A report for Welsh government ministers also warns that inappropriate use of these critical care beds means some operations are cancelled, and patients sent to other wards when it is unsafe.
Ministers said more beds would be provided by better use of resources.Ministers said more beds would be provided by better use of resources.
The report, written for Welsh ministers, is intended to give an overview of the country's NHS performance and highlight what health boards need to do to improve patient care. The report aims to give an overview of the country's NHS performance and highlight what health boards need to do to improve patient care.
Critical care beds, in intensive care or high-dependency units, are sometimes unavailable because patients can wait "many hours" to be discharged from them, the document says.
It also notes:
But the report advises that the problems are unlikely to be solved by providing more beds whilst existing beds are not being used efficiently.
Health Minister Mark Drakeford said: "We must make the best use of the resources we already have and action must be accelerated to tackle inefficient use of our critical care beds.
"All health boards in Wales should have a plan in place to do tackle delayed transfers of care and will be required to deliver a phased reduction."
But Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams said she was alarmed by Mr Drakeford's response to the report.
"I am deeply concerned with the minister's response to the report which gives no commitment to actually increase the capacity with new beds, only to use the existing beds better," she said.
"With demand for critical care set to rise year on year, Labour need to stop burying their heads in the sand and deal with an issue that has existed in the Welsh NHS for over a decade."