Northampton hospital 'had A&E patients in chairs for 22 hours'
CQC inspectors who visited the emergency department found "widespread care... in ambulances, waiting rooms and corridors".They recorded that, on the afternoon of 19 February 2025, the department had almost double its capacity of patients and the longest wait for a bed was 46 hours.The CQC said: "Patients were waiting on chairs for over 22 hours, including elderly patients."
Alarms were sounding to indicate that some people were deteriorating but there were no resuscitation beds for them.One patient who was identified as being at risk of pressure sores, and had been in the department for 25 hours, had been given no mitigation measures.When inspectors spoke to patients in medical wards, they were told there was no privacy because extra beds had been brought into the bays.The CQC said patients were not always being discharged at the point when they no longer needed medical treatment as in-patients.Patients were staying for an average of 16.6 days, which was significantly higher than the England average of 11.7 days.
The inspectors said they had observed a clinical emergency in an area where additional beds had been placed in bays. The "space for additional staff and equipment was compromised but staff ensured this did not compromise... the treatment", their report said.Inspectors also found there were instances where medication given to patients was not accurately recorded.Leaders at the hospital did not always "work with staff when incidents happen to identify what went wrong", the report said.Breaches of regulations were found in safety of treatment, staffing and management.But inspectors did find leaders and staff worked closely together to deliver care and staff understood their responsibilities for safeguarding and protecting people from harm.
The medical director of University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, Hemant Nemade, said: "We are truly sorry that we have not provided the level of care that our communities need and deserve."Since the inspection was carried out in February 2025, we have undertaken significant work to address the CQC's concerns."Many new processes are now in place to improve and monitor safety and care, enhance privacy and dignity and improve how we support patients."
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It has revitalised my life – and I don't regret it one bit either. As told to Nicole Collins Breast reduction: the low-down A breast reduction is a popular procedure which removes fat, skin and glandular tissue from the breast to make them smaller. It is the second most popular cosmetic procedure in Britain, with 4,641 people undergoing the surgery in 2023. The nipples may also be repositioned to look more natural in relation to the newly reduced breast size. The surgery usually takes two to four hours, is performed under general anaesthesia and may require you to remain in the hospital for a couple of days after the procedure to heal. Recovery can vary, but typically it is recommended to take one to two weeks off work, and expect a full recovery within two to three months. Breast reductions performed privately on average cost around £6,500 plus the cost of follow-up care. 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