A HOSPITAL boss has played down concerns over the high number of patients on hospital wards.
Ben Brewis, Barnsley Hospital’s deputy director of operations, said the hospital’s bed occupancy rate had been 95 per cent - ten per cent higher than the recommendation by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
The rate shows the average number of beds occupied overnight that are under the care of consultants.
Ben said there had been busy days during the Christmas period, where lots of patients came to hospital mainly because of the cold weather which had mainly affected people with chest and respiratory conditions.
He added: “The bed occupancy is high, but that just reflects how busy the hospital is at this time of year.”
Read more in this weeks Barnsley Chronicle
