EXTREME emergency pressures and outbreaks of norovirus have seen theatre usage drop and waiting lists soar at Worcestershire hospitals.

The overall inpatient waiting list across Worcestershire Royal, Redditch’s Alexandra and Kidderminster hospitals has risen to 6,753 at the end of March compared to just 6,150 in October – an increase of almost 10 per cent.

The problems stem from bed capacity issues in Worcester and Redditch as Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust continues to tackle unprecedented emergency demand, with emergency admissions up seven per cent year-on-year.

The trust has been forced to find additional emergency capacity from surgical beds, leading to cancellations of elective operations and theatres not being fully utilised.

Theatre usage was above 80 per cent at both Worcester and the Alexandra in August.

However, since then levels have fallen dramatically, to less than 70 per cent at Worcestershire Royal, while the Alex has now risen back up to 75 per cent having dipped below 70 per cent during March.

Quizzing trust board members at a recent meeting, member of Independent Community and Health Concern, Dr Howard Eeles, questioned whether the trust could ever meet a range of targets, including A&E waiting times.

Dr Eeles said: “Progress has undoubtedly been made, for which the trust should be commended, but there now appears to be a sticking point on further progress, which I find particularly disappointing.”

Professor Julian Bion, a non-executive director at the trust, said it was achieving significant and beneficial results.

“The trust has a remorseless focus on these indicators of quality, which are important not just for us but for our patients,” he said.

Nationally, the NHS has missed the four-hour target for patients to be treated, discharged, admitted or transferred at A&E since the start of April.

And David Prior, head of health service regulator the Care Quality Commission, warned that emergency admissions are out of control and called the situation unsustainable.