OPERATIONS are at risk of being delayed at Worcestershire Royal Hospital because the theatre recovery area is being used for emergency patients.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has confirmed the theatre recovery area “has been used for additional capacity” since March, causing theatre activity to run at “slightly reduced levels”.

A source told the Worcester News that “theatres are coming to a standstill as they cannot recover patients” due to extra people being admitted to the recovery area.

We have asked what exactly “slightly reduced levels” means and how many, if any operations have had to be delayed or cancelled, but the trust has not provided an answer.

However, it has denied claims by the source that patients in theatre recovery have been subjected to “freezing cold” conditions and no access to toilets.

They have also rubbished accusations that “infection control is doing nothing” to ensure the recovery area is being kept clean.

“Patients are in beds in a freezing cold recovery room with no toilets or access to the outside world,” the source claimed.

“Infection control is doing nothing about having non-surgical patients in a ‘clean’ environment,” they added.

A trust spokesman admitted the theatre recovery area has been used for emergency patients in recent weeks, putting the issue down to “high levels of demand for our urgent care services”.

He said: “In common with many trusts locally and nationally, we continue to face very high levels of demand for our urgent care services.

“Despite our best efforts, this does mean that on occasion we do have to use all available capacity in the hospital for patients admitted via the emergency department.

“Therefore, from time to time since March, the theatre recovery area has been used for additional capacity.”

He went on to say: “Every effort has been made to maintain theatre activity which has continued at slightly reduced levels during this time.”

“Additional staffing and controls are put in place to ensure the safe management of our patients and a continued theatre flow.

“At present theatre recovery is functioning normally,” he added.

However, the trust spokesman denied that there are any issues with cleanliness and said the colder temperatures are due to the “high air flow necessary” in theatre.

“There is a very high level of cleanliness as it has to meet the standards for an operating theatre environment,” he explained.

“Our theatre recovery area does have a full hot or cold ventilation system, however the high air flow necessary in a clean air environment such as theatres may be noticeable.

“Toilet facilities are in close proximity in an adjoining area for patient use.”

He added: “We would like to thank our theatre staff for their hard work and support, ensuring our theatres run as efficiently as possible at times of high demand on our hospital services.”