BEDS at Malvern Community Hospital could be used to help ease pressure at the county’s main hospitals.
Worcestershire hospitals are at breaking point as staff treat record numbers of emergency patients, with pressure set to grow over winter.
Emergency demand is 14.5 per cent higher than this time last year across the county’s acute hospitals but plans are in place to deal with even higher numbers between January and March.
Between April and August, the trust treated 20,648 emergency patients compared to 18,198 in the same period last year, meaning staff have had to cope with an extra 2,450 patients so far this year.
If pressure continues to rise, bosses are planning to use up to 20 beds across the county’s five community hospitals, including Malvern Community Hospital.
A worst case scenario plan means health commissioners could purchase beds in county nursing homes.
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