THE Isle of Wight's only hospital is bracing itself, not only for increased seasonal pressures but also an expected surge in Omicron patients.

Nationally, NHS officials are predicting a peak of Covid-positive patients being admitted to hospital in the next week and have devised 'Operation Reset' to make space in full-up hospitals.

The organisation has asked hospitals in the South East to clear out 'bedblockers' — the term used for a person ready to be discharged but who has nowhere to go outside of hospital and is occupying a sought-after bed.

At St Mary's in Newport today, (Thursday, January 13), 62 patients are medically fit to leave hospital but have no care in place to be safely discharged, causing congestion on the wards.

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust, working in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council, is being told to move up to 50 per cent of the so-called 'bedblockers' by the end of January.

The adult social care crisis on the Island, however, has left top health bosses across the partnership concerned it cannot be achieved.

Speaking at the IW NHS Trust board meeting today, chief operating officer Joe Smyth said he could not see how 27 patients, on average, could be moved out of hospital by the end of the month unless additional care capacity is created.

Mr Smyth said 'bedblockers' are taking up to 30 per cent of the hospital's beds, which has led to the cancellation of elective surgery and an increased wait time for patients in A&E.

He apologised to those patients who had had their procedures cancelled last week and hoped to restore the programme of surgery by Monday.

Mr Smyth said he is anxious the biggest risk is yet to come, amid winter pressures and as the number of medically fit patients waiting to be discharged rises.

Darren Cattell, the trust's new chief executive, said the hospital is taking its next steps with a degree of uncertainty, but the trust is "well prepared for whatever may be thrown at it."

When asked about 'Operation Reset', the Isle of Wight Council said it was to ensure it has effective, robust systems and processes in place to meet current demand.

Social care capacity is stretched to its limit, according to portfolio lead for the authority, Cllr Karl Love, cabinet member for adult social care.

Cllr Love recently accused the government of "completely failing to deliver on its promises" and said the Island has not yet 'seen a penny' from the £5.4 billion announced to transform adult social care in the next three years.

He said the authority has been asking the government for help for many months but it is "not listening, or taking any action."