HOSPITALS are at breaking point with wards in Southend and Basildon almost full every day, the Echo can reveal.

New figures shows Basildon Hospital was full on nine days last month, and more than 99 per cent full on every other day but one.

The shock figures put the trust 15th out of 152 acute hospitals across the country.

More than nine out of ten beds at Southend Hospital were full every day last month, with the hospital more than 95 per cent full on nine days.

Mike Le-Surf, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock, said: “These figures are shocking and highlight a serious breach of safety within our NHS.

“Basildon Hospital was over recommended capacity throughout the whole period and it is clear patient care has been put at risk.

“This is a warning sign for Basildon that cannot go ignored and ministers must act now to ensure hospitals have enough beds and staff to cope.”

Watchdog Dr Foster Intelligence, which was set up by the Department of Health to monitor NHS performance, has recommended hospitals keep at least 15 per cent of beds free.

Basildon Hospital, which has opened 14 more beds on its refurbished Laindon Ward, denies patients are being put at risk and insists its “dedicated” staff are coping with unprecedented demand.

The hospitals have seen a huge rise in visits this year, with visits to Basildon Hospital’s accident and emergency department up 16 per cent.

Soaring demand has been blamed on an ageing population, cuts in funding for social and community care, an ineffective flu jab and patients’ difficulty in getting a GP appointment.

Westcliff GP and councillor Dr Marimuthu Velmurugan, who is a governor of Southend Hospital, said: “I blame the politicians. Any idiot can understand there are capacity problems.

“It’s cuts, the demand is rising and we still have to keep it free at the point of care.”

Polly Billington, Labour’s parliamentary candidate in Thurrock, said: “This is unacceptable.

“It’s clear our hospital is reaching breaking point.

Ministers must act on this and ensure Basildon Hospital has enough beds and staff to cope.”

PATIENTS NOT AT RISK

BASILDON Hospital has reassured patients its dedicated staff can cope with the increase in demand.

The hospital has opened 14 more beds on Laindon Ward, is trying to support patients out of hospital and is working with other healthcare providers, such as GPs and pharmacists, to avoid unnecessary hospital visits.

A hospital spokesman said: “We would like to reassure our patients that, despite an incredibly busy winter period, there is absolutely no evidence this has led to patient safety being put at risk in our hospitals. The whole of the NHS has been extremely busy this winter, and our hospitals have been no exception.

“We are well-versed at dealing with the pressure and our committed and dedicated staff have again risen to the challenge.

“Action we have taken includes opening an additional 14 beds on our refurbished Laindon Ward, and putting measures in place to support patients out of hospital. We are also working with healthcare partners to ensure patients have access to the best services in the right place at the right time.”

Sue Hardy, acting chief executive of Southend Hospital, said: “Although we have seen higher numbers of patients than usual coming in to A&E over the Christmas and New Year period, the pressure this winter has been that the patients we have been seeing have been much sicker and there have been more of them requiring admission to hospital. These patients also then need a longer stay in hospital, meaning that we have had fewer beds available to admit patients into.

"As you’ll be aware it’s been a similar story up and down the country and our bed state is checked several times a day and we have an escalation process to protect patient safety, which is of course of paramount importance. Patients and their relatives can be rest assured that patient safety is always our priority at Southend Hospital.”