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Fewer hospital beds available than before the Covid-19 pandemic

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According to new NHS England data, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) has seen a reduction in available overnight hospital beds compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The big picture: The Trust's bed occupancy rate has risen to 94.7%, up from 89% in the same period in 2019. This mirrors a national trend of increasing pressure on NHS resources.

A hospital bed and equipment
High occupancy rates can lead to treatment delays and force hospitals to care for patients in inappropriate settingsEast Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust has seen a reduction in available overnight hospital beds compared to pre-pandemic levels

By the numbers:

  • 1,269 overnight beds were available on average each night at the Trust in April, May and June

  • 96.2% of general and acute care beds were occupied

  • 66.8% of maternity beds were occupied

Why it matters: High occupancy rates can lead to treatment delays and force hospitals to care for patients in inappropriate settings.

What they're saying: Dr John Dean, clinical vice president at the Royal College of Physicians, said: "Consistently high occupancy rates are leading to significant delays in treating newly presenting patients."

Between the lines: The NHS faces challenges discharging patients who no longer require hospital care. Delays affect about 12,000 beds per day, often due to a lack of space in social care.

An NHS England spokesperson said they're working to increase acute care beds and tackle delayed discharges, aiming "to ensure patients who no longer require hospital treatment can return home or be cared for in a more appropriate place for them as soon as possible."

The bottom line: The NHS acknowledges it has more to do "to deliver more timely care" as high occupancy rates continue to pressure the healthcare system.

Serial waste offender faces High Court action after decades of illegal dumping

News

A man previously convicted of allowing cocaine production on his land has been ordered to stop illegal waste disposal activities at the same site, following multiple failed prosecutions over 20 years.

Why it matters: The case highlights how persistent offenders can continue environmental crimes despite repeated prosecutions, forcing councils to pursue expensive High Court action, often at the taxpayer's expense.

The big picture: Paul Arthur Fenton, 59, of Hadleigh, has been prosecuted four times since 2001 for illegal waste activities at Flowton Pit. Despite these convictions, the illegal dumping continued, leading Suffolk County Council to seek a High Court injunction.

Illegal waste dumped at the site in Flowton, near Ipswich
Paul Fenton has been ordered to stop illegal waste disposal activities at the site in Flowton, near IpswichSuffolk County Council

Details:

  • The High Court has now ordered Fenton to cease all waste disposal at the Flowton Road site

  • He must remove all waste materials within three months, by 27 November 2024

  • Fenton did not respond to pre-action letters or attend the court hearing

  • The site has previously been linked to criminal activity, with Fenton convicted of allowing it to be used for cocaine production

What they're saying: "We will not stand for the actions of people like Mr Fenton, whose behaviour is wholly selfish with no regard for others," said Councillor Chris Chambers, Suffolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport Strategy, Planning and Waste.

Illegal waste dumped at the site in Flowton, near Ipswich
The High Court has now ordered Fenton to cease all waste disposal at the Flowton Road siteSuffolk County Council

Impact on community:

  • Local businesses affected by unfair competition from illegal disposal

  • Environmental damage, including possible destruction of badger setts

  • Disruption to rural and residential areas

  • Impact on local access routes

The bottom line: Despite two decades of enforcement action, it took a High Court injunction to finally force action at this problematic waste site, highlighting the challenges authorities face in stopping persistent environmental offenders.

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