The NHS Bed Crisis, Bed Blocking and Solutions

A new crisis faces our NHS with the rise of “Bed Blocking” Hospitals are becoming overcrowded with resources and space being devoted to patients who are confined to hospital. Though they are medically well, they might be frail or the necessary care packages are not available for home care or transfer to a specialty care facility.

The government has devoted £250 million to ease the Bed Blocking crisis with £200 million funded to local areas to purchase new beds in care facilities, with the further £50 million devoted to expanding hospital outpatient capabilities and ambulance hubs.

While this should solve the current bed blocking crisis, is it only delaying the issue? In another 10 years, will the NHS be faced with the same problem, and will further funding be needed to create more facilities? Or is it time for a new solution that can not only save money but also provide quality of life for those in care?

With the use of a Centrobed bed, the overall cost of caring for a patient is reduced. It will also reduce the number of carers needed for a patient, for example it can take up to 4 carers to turn a patient but with an Arctic turning bed it could reduce that by half. The savings on carer costs could pay for the bed in 2 months, With the added benefit of lightening the load on carers and being able to be installed within a patient’s own home. Over the span of 3 years, it is estimated that the Arctic turning bed could save the NHS £91,550.00 per individual bed.

The benefits of using an Arctic repositioning and turning bed isn’t limited to simple cost saving. There is also a wide array of medical benefits the bed can provide. For patients with limited or no mobility, automatic and regular turning can help to alleviate pressure to certain parts of the patient’s body which reduces the risks of pressure related issues. For patients with limited mobility, it also provides a degree of independence, as they can use the handset to reposition themselves up without the need to rely on a carer.

This potential solution to the bed blocking crisis is a cheaper and more efficient alternative to regular care facilities which requires more funding and manpower to run. It will also reduce the overall strain on the NHS providing a long-term solution to this crisis. An Arctic bed is available to be hired for a short or long-term depending on the need of the patient.

For more information, please follow the cost saving calculator click here.