THERE is still no cure for the blocked beds situation at the County Hospital.

A period recently was described as the 'worst ever', with 11 per cent of beds occupied by people who should be accommodated elsewhere.

The situation does not seem to be any better in Herefordshire's community hospitals.

Paul Bates, chief executive of Herefordshire Primary Care Trust, has confirmed they are 'stuffed to the gunnels'.

David Rose, chief executive of Hereford Hospitals Trust, said the County Hospital had very ambitious plans but to run a health system with 11 per cent of beds affected by delayed discharges made it very difficult.

Both chief executives were speaking at a board meeting of the Hospital Trust this week when the seriousness of the situation was spelled out.

Mr Bates said much depended on patients being found alternative care elsewhere, and not in hospitals.

Much would also depend on how much money Herefordshire Council allocated in the coming year's budget to social service for the care of the elderly.

Hospital Trust chairman Cessa Moore said the problem was countywide and all, including social services, must work together to resolve it.

At the meeting Sharon Beamish, director of service delivery, said that because of the large number of patients in January, achieving the waiting time target of four hours in the accident and emergency department had deteriorated.

Increased levels of medical patients occupying surgical beds and the day surgery unit had led to an increase in the cancellation of operations.

Although there was slight improvement in February the level of accident and emergency attendances continued to be higher than last year.

Some vascular patients have been offered treatment in another hospital to avoid breaching the nine-month waiting time standard and 18 surgical patients had been given the chance to have treatment over the weekend in February and March.