MEDICS are feeling the pressure as levels of hospital bed blocking across the area reach an all time high.

The latest figures show the equivalent of an entire ward at Furness General Hospital, as well as two at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, were taken up by people who were medically fit to leave in September.

Bosses at the trust which runs FGH, in Barrow,  have now warned the total number of beds blocked at any one time throughout its three hospitals regularly surpasses 100 - with fears the number could rise as the colder months close in.

Lynne Wyre, deputy chief nurse at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, said the situation was responsible for causing a bottleneck effect in accident and emergency departments during busy periods as staff struggle to locate available beds for those who need to be admitted.

She said: "As with a lot of other NHS trusts in the country, we have been experiencing significant pressure in our emergency departments with an increase in the numbers of very poorly patients attending the department.

"Across the trust there may be more than 100 patients at any one time, clinically fit to go home, but unable to do so. 

"As a result, this means that our capacity to admit new patients can be reduced."

Figures presented to trust board directors on the bedblocking issue reveal the average person stays on a ward for an extra 11 days after they have been declared fit to leave.

There are said to be a number of reasons for the delays in discharge - including waiting for social services to put a home care package in place, or waiting for a nursing or residential home place to become available.

Measures are already in place at FGH to unblock beds and keep the flow of patients moving through the hospital without unnecessary delays.

This includes an extra senior decision-maker stationed in A&E and four senior team meetings every day.

People are also now being urged only to attend A&E departments in a medical emergency.

Instead, residents are being asked to visit their GP, contact the out of hours service or seek advice from their local pharmacist for winter illnesses such as coughs, colds, sore throats and flu.

Ms Wyre added: "We are working closely with other health and care providers to help our patients go home in a more timely manner, once it is safe to do so.

"Since last winter, we have been working to increase the number of senior clinicians and nurses within our emergency departments and assessment areas - particularly out of hours and at weekends. 

"We have also continued to use the innovative discharge co-ordinator scheme which we launched last winter to make sure patients are able to go home as soon as they are clinically fit, with the right support there for them when they leave.

"The public can help us by making sure they are using the right NHS service for the severity of their symptoms. 

"We’d like to thank all our staff for their continued hard work and dedication, and our patients and visitors for their patience and cooperation to date."