City hospitals stretched by the big freeze

HOSPITALS creaked under the strain of injuries and illness caused by the Capital's big freeze.

Thousands of patients missed appointments and the number of elderly people attending casualty departments with broken bones from falls rocketed.

Health chiefs said queues at accident and emergency at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary seemed at times "never ending", and paid tribute to staff.

Latest figures from NHS Lothian reveal that the total number of A&E patients rose by more than 10 per cent on the same period last year. Admissions for orthopaedic patients – mainly those with broken bones – jumped by almost half in that time, while there were almost 4,000 falls which required hospital care, up from 3,000 last December.

There was also double the number of patients who fractured the top of their thigh bone, a common problem for elderly women who fall or slip, with around seven people a day attending hospital.

Health board bosses added that there was a hike in those suffering respiratory problems as a result of prolonged very cold weather, while the pressure of missed appointments reached almost crisis point with 5,000 unable to attend.