Patients in need of urgent medical care are being forced to wait for beds at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Kim Wilson, the Minister of Health, said more than half of beds are occupied by people medically fit for discharge, while other patients are waiting to be admitted.

She added: “This situation is unsustainable and impacts the ability of our healthcare professionals to provide timely care to those in urgent need.”

A government spokeswoman said: “The Ministry of Health and the Bermuda Hospitals Board are actively working to ease the strain on the hospital system by expanding nursing home capacity to provide more long-term care placements, strengthening home care services so families can manage discharged patients at home with professional support, partnering with private care providers to increase options for community-based care, and improving discharge co-ordination to ensure medically fit patients leave the hospital promptly.”

R. Scott Pearman, the chief executive and president of the BHB, said: “BHB has activated a response to release the acute beds for the patients waiting in the emergency.

“This is being achieved by opening surge spaces in the General Wing, or doubling up rooms in the Acute Care Wing, into which medically fit for discharge patients will be transferred.

“This means medically fit for discharge patients will be in communal rooms, enabling us to focus the acute resources on those who are most in need.”

He thanked staff for helping to reduce the number of patients in the emergency department waiting for a bed, which reached as many as 30 on Tuesday.

Mr Pearman added that the department’s FastTrack system is in place for lower acuity cases, and both he and Ms Wilson urged patients experiencing minor issues to contact their primary care physician instead of attending the hospital.

Those suffering from minor ailments can also visit the urgent care clinic between 9am and 9pm on the weekends.

Mr Pearman said people who have not registered with a primary care doctor should do so.

He explained: “This is not just to reduce emergency pressure — your primary care physician is your community partner in managing your health, knowing your history, ensuring you are on top of regular tests and screening, and managing any chronic issues you may have.”

Ms Wilson encouraged people to take care of themselves, particularly during this cold and flu season, by practising good hygiene, staying home if unwell and getting vaccinated.