One hundred operations had to be cancelled in York last month due to the unexpected number of patients suffering from the flu epidemic, it has been revealed today.

Malcolm Palmer, chief officer of York Community Health Council, at the casualty department of York District Hospital for the snapshot survey

And health chiefs have said that even more waiting list operations could be cancelled over the next couple of months if there is a further rise in the number of emergency admissions.

Figures highlighting the number of extra people admitted to York District Hospital during December have been published for the first time.

At the peak of the flu crisis, during the week beginning December 28, 205 extra patients than expected visited the hospital's Accident and Emergency Department, a rise of 19 per cent. In addition an extra 26 patients than expected were admitted into hospital, a rise of 17 per cent.

Hospital chief executive Dr Peter Kennedy said one of the main reasons for the cancellations was due to the number of elderly people staying longer in the hospital because they couldn't get into nursing homes.

He said: "I am investigating the length of stay of elderly people admitted as emergencies this year compared with last to try and understand whether the capacity problem in nursing homes in the area was an important factor which led to the overflow into surgical wards and cancellation of elective treatments.

"At one point there were 30 elderly patients - a whole ward - in the hospital who were not receiving active treatment."

He added that the number of elderly patients treated at the hospital during December was 17 per cent higher than the previous year.

Although the hospital trust seems confident about reaching the Government's waiting list targets, Dr Kennedy added that the hospital's wards were 90 per cent full and if there was a further rise in the number of emergency cases up to March the "lower priority clinical conditions" would be cancelled first.

He also voiced concerns about how hospital staff had been put under unnecessary pressure covering for colleagues who were off sick.

"Some members of staff have had to work double shifts which will not be tolerated. I have to protect staff from these demands and if it means that we do not meet our targets on the waiting lists, that's fine. I will not balance targets against the welfare of my staff."

...but snapshot survey shows casualty coping

Hospital workers won praise when casualty units were put under the spotlight as part of a major national exercise to monitor their performance.

Malcolm Palmer, chief officer of York Community Health Council, visited York's A&E unit to see how long patients had to wait for tests to be carried out, treatment given or hospital beds found.

His visit coincided with around 200 identical trips by CHC officers throughout the country to their own accident and emergency units.

Results of the snapshot survey were being published today with at least one long wait of 27 hours being recorded, but in York the longest wait was two hours.

Mr Palmer said there were 14 people in casualty, slightly higher than last year's visit, but he said he was confident the "system was running smoothly".

He said: "Staff have been put under increased pressure lately and I think they all deserve a pat on the back for their efforts."

Tanya O'Neil, chief officer for Scarborough CHC, had similar praise for Scarborough General Hospital.

She said: "The situation at Scarborough was very good yesterday - people were being seen as soon as they arrived."

Two people had been waiting for beds, one for two hours and one for half an hour.

Harrogate CHC chief officer Mark Kennedy said their visit to Harrogate District Hospital had found five people waiting to be seen.

The longest wait was for two and a half hours, but that was for treatment, not to be seen.

"Generally I think the CHC are appreciative of the work that Harrogate A&E department do," he said.

"We would like to thank the staff for their enormous dedication and hard work."

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