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Patients treated in ambulances as cases of norovirus surge to record levels

By C. J. Refsland on January 7, 2013 • ( 0 )

More than 100 patients had to be treated in ambulances as hospital staff struggled to cope with record numbers of norovirus cases.

Dozens of sick patients were treated in a hospital care park after hospitals in Manchester were overwhelmed with norovirus cases, it has emerged.

At the height of the problems Tameside Hospital’s A&E unit was so overwhelmed that 73 people were cared for in the car park Photo: MEN

Bosses say they have been so overwhelmed by people suffering from sickness bugs that paramedics were forced to care for 999 patients and ambulances stacked up outside hospitals.

Ambulances were left queuing outside several hospitals in Greater Manchester – including Wythenhsawe Hospital, Pennine Acute Trust’s North Manchester General, Royal Oldham, Rochdale Infirmary and Fairfield Hospital in Bury – as the norovirus crisis hit the region.

At the height of the problems, Tameside Hospital’s A&E unit was so overwhelmed that, 113 ambulance patients waited more than half an hour before they could be admitted to hospital between December 20 and 30.

At Tameside ambulances queued in loading bays and paramedics had to care for them in waiting areas until overstretched hospital staff were able to care for them.

Medics also struggled to find space for everyone who needed to be admitted – with every one of the 485 beds at Tameside Hospital full on December 30.

via Patients treated in ambulances as cases of norovirus surge to record levels – Telegraph.