WINTER pressures are hitting hospitals with patients facing longer waits in accident and emergency departments.

The numbers have led to fears about hospitals’ ability to cope when the weather worsens and demand for services rises.

Some patients brought in by ambulance to A&E at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton have had to wait in a corridor with a paramedic because staff were too busy to book them in.

One woman contacted The Argus yesterday after coming into hospital with a relative.

She said: “We have been here two hours with a paramedic. There are eight patients who have not been handed over yet.

“It is just horrible to see all these frail and ill people lying and waiting around like this.

“The staff are doing the best they can but you can just see they are being run ragged.”

A Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals spokesman said: “When the hospital is very busy it unfortunately can lead to some patients having to wait longer than we would like to be treated in the emergency department and admitted into beds.

“Any patient who does have to wait is regularly monitored in a safe environment.

“We are working hard to improve the flow of patients through our A&E department and the hospital as a whole, as well as with our partner health and social care organisations to create more capacity out in the community to let patients be discharged quicker.”

Figures by NHS England show hundreds of patients in emergency units at hospitals in Sussex wait up to 12 hours for a bed to be available after a decision is made to admit them.

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Sussex as well as Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, had the highest number of long waits – between four and 12 hours – at 209 in the two weeks ending December 7.

Last week, the trust was placed on its highest level of alert – black – with staff working flat out to free up beds.

Yesterday it had been downgraded to the next level down – red – meaning it was still under pressure.

Part of the problem is the number of patients ready for discharge but who cannot leave until a nursing home, a rehab bed or support in their own home can be found for them.

Hospital bosses are working with the city council and clinical commissioning group to find ways to ease the pressure, which includes finding extra beds in the community.

A temporary building has been set up outside A&E for older patients who need to be monitored but do not need to be admitted to hospital.

Western Sussex Hospitals had 98 long waits and East Sussex Healthcare had 48.