Occupancy rates for critical care beds in England’s hospitals reached their highest point last month, posing a potential threat to patients.
88.1% of adult critical care beds were occupied at England’s NHS hospitals in February, leaving patients at an increased risk of harm and hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA, research suggests.
3,548 of the total 4,028 beds were occupied last month. In January the occupancy rate was recorded at 87.6% and in February 2014 was 86.5%.
Bed occupancy of more than 85% can heighten the risk of harm to patients, suggests research by healthcare intelligence firm Dr Foster, who say that such rates “can start to affect the quality of care provided to patients and the orderly running of the hospital”. Further, a paper published in the British Medical Journal in 1999 claimed that bed occupancy rates over 85% risked a shortage in beds and periodic bed crises.
Dr Mark Porter, chair of the British Medical Association council, said: “This is the result of a gradual rundown of beds, despite a rise in demand. High occupancy rates are a real concern because they leave little or no spare capacity to deal with a spike in demand for critical care, leaving the most seriously ill patients at risk.
“Critical care facilities are essential for the most interventionist care delivered to the sickest patients. Professional recommendation would be that, to maintain availability for such patients and the safety of care when there, bed occupancy rates should be no more than 70%. A higher figure indicates a service under too much pressure.”