Our CEO Julian Stanley joins radio discussion around hospitals in Cambridgeshire running permanently at over 90% bed occupancy
News - 18 September 2023
Our CEO Julian Stanley appeared on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire on Thursday 14 September 2023 to speak about issues around the three main general hospitals in Cambridgeshire that are permanently running at over 90% bed occupancy. There no longer appears to be any time in the year when our hospitals are less busy and there are no signs of this reducing anytime soon.
NHS figures analysed by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire show that almost all beds in our local hospitals have been occupied nonstop since the start of the pandemic. The data shows pre-covid around 70-75% of beds were constantly in use, but since the pandemic, almost 95% of local beds have always been full. Listen to what our CEO Julian Stanley had to say on the matter.
Hear what Julian had to say here (2:13:53 - 2:18:05):
We are encouraging people affected by these issues to get in touch with us here at Healthwatch, as we can report back your experiences to service providers and signpost you to organisations that can provide help, information and support.
Second Opinions and Martha’s Rule: What You Need to Know
Sometimes you may feel unsure about a diagnosis, have questions about a treatment plan, or simply want reassurance before making a decision about your care. In these situations, you may consider asking for a second opinion.
A second opinion is when another doctor or healthcare professional is asked to review your diagnosis or recommend a treatment plan. Many people find it gives them confidence and clarity.
Do you have a right to a second opinion?
The General Medical Council says doctors must respect a patient’s right to seek a second opinion.
However, you are not legally entitled to a second opinion on the NHS.
Even so, most doctors and GPs will support your request.
✅ What is Martha’s Rule?
Martha’s Rule is a new national patient safety initiative being introduced across England. It gives patients, families and carers the power to request an urgent review if someone in hospital is getting worse and they are worried.
Martha’s Rule is named after 13-year-old Martha Mills, who died from sepsis in 2021. Her parents repeatedly raised concerns about her deteriorating condition, but these concerns were not acted on.
A coroner later ruled Martha would likely have survived if her deterioration had been picked up and she had been moved to intensive care sooner.
How Martha’s Rule works
The rule will introduce three key changes:
Staff access: All NHS hospital staff must have 24/7 access to a critical care outreach team, who they can contact immediately if they are worried about a patient’s condition.
Family and patient access: Patients, their families, carers and advocates must also be able to contact the critical care outreach team directly, day or night. Information on how to do this should be clearly displayed in the hospital. They do not need to ask the current medical team first.
Listening to patients and families: Hospitals must introduce a routine system for gathering information from patients and families at least once a day about how the patient is feeling or whether they think things are getting worse. This will first apply to patients staying in acute and specialist hospitals.
Early results show this works:
Between September and October 2024, more than 573 calls were made by patients, carers and staff about deteriorating conditions. Half resulted in a clinical review and 14 people were urgently moved to intensive care.
Many people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are facing long waits for planned treatment or investigations. This can feel frustrating, worrying and uncertain. But you still have rights while you wait — and local services should keep you informed and involved in decisions about your care.
Healthwatch England has published new advice to help you understand what you should expect if you’re waiting for NHS treatment.
What you should expect from your care provider:
Even if you are waiting for a long time, NHS staff must:
Keep you updated about what will happen next and when
Explain clearly and in plain language, without medical jargon
Tell you why delays or cancellations happen, and what your options are
Involve you in shared decision-making about your care
Provide advice on how to manage your health while waiting
Tell you who to contact if your condition changes or gets worse
These are not “nice-to-haves” — they are part of providing safe, respectful care.
Support for your mental wellbeing
Waiting for treatment can affect your mental health. Feeling anxious, low, or worried is very common:
In 2022, we published a report titled 'The future of urgent and emergency care at Addenbrooke’s', sharing what local people told us about their experiences and what they wanted to see improved.
