Hospitals in Leicester hope to provide better cover

The scheme helps predict increases in the number of heart and chest patients admitted during cold weather.

The "Health Forecasting" project is run by the Met Office for a number of hospitals across the country.

It should allow Leicester hospitals to provide emergency cover and improve the management of its beds.

The scheme, called "Forecasting the Nation", is based on the idea that if the temperature in Leicester drops dramatically on a Monday there will be a knock on effect.

Bumps and knocks

Hospitals will see an increase in elderly people with flu on a Tuesday, followed by heart and stroke patients on the Wednesday.

Ten days later there will be an influx of those with respiratory problems.

The real test of the scheme could come this week with a lengthy cold snap predicted.

Anne McGregor, spokeswoman for University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said: "The medical adviser is saying to us that elderly or geriatric patients are more at risk.

"We may see more children coming through our doors with bumps and knocks and fractures because of the icy conditions."

If it proves successful the scheme could be extended to other hospitals and GPs in Leicestershire.