PATIENTS at the Royal Bolton Hospital have faced a wait of more than 12 hours for a bed.

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust has revealed how it has faced a “challenging” few weeks as hospitals around the country struggle with winter pressures.

The hospital has been failing to meet the target to deal with patients within four hours of arrival as the number of patients needing treatment increases.

On three consecutive days, from December 27 to 29, the hospital was also forced to ask an ambulance to be redirected elsewhere.

A Bolton NHS Trust spokesperson said: “Despite the measures we have been taking to deal with the pressures patients capacity some patients at A&E have not been treated within the four hour target, and some have waited for more than 12 hours to be admitted to a bed.

“The number of patients who have been very ill and needed to be admitted has increased greatly and many of these need to be in hospital for some time.

“At times when there is pressure at one hospital ambulances may be asked to divert for a short period to another where there is capacity. This does happen from time to time, including in the past few weeks.”

The Trust said it had opened an extra 34 beds at intermediate care homes and another 52 at the hospital.

It has also been working closely with partners in health and social care to avoid patients staying in hospital when they could be cared for in the community.

In line with a national directive, no non-urgent operations are taking place until January 16.

Chief operating officer Andy Ennis added: “Despite the incredibly hard work of our staff and our efforts to manage the situation, it has been very busy and very challenging.

“However our performance against the four-hour target is now improving – currently 79.7 per cent. Our prime aim is to ensure the safety of our patients and staff and we will continue to work to that.”

National charity, British Red Cross, has been supporting hospitals in England with the transfer of patients and chief executive Mike Adamson said it was responding to a “humanitarian crisis”.

However Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has widely criticised for rejecting claims of a widespread crisis.