MORE than 50 patients were still waiting to leave Ipswich Hospital today as bosses said more needed to be done to tackle the problems of delayed transfers.

MORE than 50 patients were still waiting to leave Ipswich Hospital today as bosses said more needed to be done to tackle the problems of delayed transfers.

Yesterday 56 patients were officially classed as being delayed in the hospital, resulting in 56 beds which were unavailable for new patients.

The news came after The Evening Star revealed earlier this week that up to eight ambulances were lined up outside the Accident and Emergency department at the Heath Road hospital on Monday afternoon.

Patients were unable to be admitted because the hospital was so full, meaning that nearly one third of the county's available ambulances were queuing outside.

Yesterday afternoon Jan Rowsell, hospital spokeswoman, said: “We have seven people waiting for social care reasons and when we look at the other people who are medically fit or will be medically fit the number becomes 56.

“We are trying to bring that down. It is a complex problem. If there was a simple solution we'd have found a better solution before now.

“At this very busy time of year the number (of patients delayed in hospital) will have increased.

“We are determined to do everything we can to make sure everyone can leave hospital.”

Are you or your loved one waiting to be transferred from Ipswich Hospital? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.