THE rise in bed-blocking is 'worrying' and could result in planned surgery being cancelled, Poole Hospital's chief executive has warned.

Trust boss Debbie Fleming told the Daily Echo that delayed discharges have 'increased significantly' since the start of the year.

The concerns have been raised just weeks after managers at counterpart Royal Bournemouth Hospital threatened to use legal action to evict so-called bed-blockers.

“There have been a number of closures of residential and care homes, which has reduced the number of beds available outside, and there are also problems for the local authority at times in recruiting staff,” said Ms Fleming.

“Our delayed discharges have increased significantly since the start of the year and this is a challenge in the community.

“We have got people coming in the front door and we need to make sure we can discharge people safely and well to keep the through-put going.

“If this is clogging things up, that is when we will find it difficult admitting those in need of care.”

She added that the hospital works with families, its partners in the community and local authority to do everything it can to discharge people safely - but that the increase can have a knock on effect to other areas.

“We don't have lots and lots of planned work that you can cancel [Poole is east Dorset's designated trauma and emergency centre],” she said. “Nobody wants to cancel surgery, but you can control how many beds you have available by what you plan to bring in. For us it is really critical we keep that through-put going - and we are worried about that.”

Of Bournemouth Hospital's strong comments about bed-blockers in November, she said: “All hospitals in Dorset operate a common policy - the pan-Dorset choice policy - so we can all invoke the same policies.

“I think we have said, and in fairness to Bournemouth they said the same, that [legal action] would always be our last resort.”