Hospitals get winter blues

North Island hospitals are bulging at the seams with patients suffering winter illnesses.

Middlemore, North Shore and Waikato hospitals all reported being extremely busy last week.

This week Rotorua, Taupo and Palmerston North hospitals have felt the strain.

Lakeland Health general manager Dr Nick Foster said many of the admissions to Rotorua and Taupo hospitals have been respiratory or flu-related, and Rotorua Hospital needed an additional 15 beds in the past 10 days to accommodate patients. Some elective surgery at Rotorua has had to be cancelled because of the pressure on beds and an increasing number of staff off sick, although urgent and acute surgery has not been affected.

Palmerston North Hospital is on "red flag" status because of nursing shortages and increased winter demand for beds.

MidCentral Health general manager Tony Foulkes said the hospital was operating at staff capacity. Whenever a nurse called in sick, four or five beds had to be closed.

- NZPA