NHS ‘ghost wards’: 1,400 beds unused due to lack of staff or funding
Labour calls for action over ‘scandal’ of ward closures amid bed shortages crisis
More than 1,400 NHS beds lie empty in 82 “ghost wards” in English hospitals, according to new figures released amid reports of reports of an ongoing bed shortages crisis.
The data, obtained under freedom of information laws by Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth, shows that 1,429 hospital beds in NHS England trusts were unused as of September 2017 - almost three times more than the 502 recorded in 2013.
The ghost wards represent “the equivalent of two entire hospitals”, The Guardian reports, at a time when the health service has endured its “toughest winter for many years, during which many hospitals ran out of beds”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The scale of the situation is “amazing”, Dr Nick Scriven, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, told the newspaper. Ward closures were “almost always” caused by a lack of money or staff, he said.
“In years and years of trying to balance books and achieve ‘efficiency’ savings, many hospitals will have taken the opportunities to shut clinical areas if they at all can,” Scriven added.
Ashworth said the closure of wards at a time of intense strain on NHS capacity was a “scandal”.
“We’ve just had doctors warning that the ‘winter crisis’ is likely to stretch into the summer and now our research reveals the extent to which beds that could be used to care for sick patients have been locked away,” he said.
“Ministers should be ensuring beds are used at this time of crisis for the NHS.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said that Labour’s portrayal of “mothballed” wards was “misleading”, adding: “Trusts control the number of beds to meet demand and that’s why they were able to open 3,000 more at peak periods this winter.”
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
In what countries is assisted dying legal or in consideration for being made legal?
In the spotlight More countries are granting more people the right to die
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
5 captivating books to read in May
the week recommends Brittney Griner tells her own story, a coming-of-middle-age novel and more
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
The secretive practice of 'catch-and-kill' tabloid journalism
The Explainer Outlets such as the National Enquirer have become infamous for using the practice
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Immunotherapy and hay fever
The Explainer Research shows that the treatment could provide significant relief from symptoms for many hay fever sufferers
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Pros and cons of universal health care
Pros and Cons A medical system that serves everyone comes with its own costs, and they're not only financial
By Rebecca Messina, The Week UK Published
-
Martha's Rule: patients given right to urgent second opinion
The Explainer Hospitals in England will launch new scheme that will allow access to a rapid treatment review
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
The contaminated blood scandal
The Explainer Widely regarded as the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS, the public inquiry is due to publish its report in May
By The Week UK Published
-
Can Britain's dental crisis be fixed?
The Explainer New proposals include more money for dentists working in under-served areas
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Babylon Health: the failed AI wonder app that 'dazzled' politicians
The Explainer Demise of UK tech start-up is a cautionary tale for politicians seeking quick fixes to complicated problems
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Surgery faces ‘MeToo moment’ as female staff assaulted while operating
Two-thirds of women surgeons claim to have been sexually harassed and a third alleged assaults
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
What does UK’s first womb transplant mean for future of fertility?
Today's Big Question Procedure could be offered more widely including to transgender people
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published